This project combined rigorous desk research with extensive fieldwork using ethnographic methods to explore key issues in depth. It led to significant technical and scientific advancements, resulting in notable outcomes.
A structured review of 243 peer-reviewed articles revealed a marked conceptual fragmentation and a strong geographic bias in the existing literature, with a predominant focus on external migration from the Global South. In contrast, internal climate-related mobility within Europe remains largely overlooked, and wildfire-related displacement is virtually absent from current research. These gaps directly informed the selection of empirical case study sites in Portugal.
Two case studies were selected based on thematic relevance, feasibility for ethnographic research, and policy salience:
I) Pedrinhas and Cedovém (Northern Portugal): Informal coastal settlements facing planned relocation due to erosion and projected sea-level rise.
II)Pinhal Interior Norte (Central Portugal): A wildfire-prone rural region affected by the devastating 2017 fires, now experiencing demographic shifts including the arrival of new settlers.
Fieldwork combined long-term ethnographic immersion with semi-structured interviews and observational methods. Over 55 interviews were conducted across both case studies.
In Pedrinhas and Cedovém, findings revealed: i) A disconnection between expert-led risk assessments and local experiences, especially among long-term residents. ii) High levels of uncertainty tied to the relocation process, often seen as institutional neglect rather than protection, iii) Historical marginalization shaping attitudes toward the state and affecting relocation willingness.
In Pinhal Interior Norte, the research uncovered: i) Unexpected forms of mobility post-disaster, including the arrival of digital nomads and lifestyle migrants; ii) Divergent mobility patterns: some new residents actively manage fire risk through land stewardship, while others settle in high-risk zones without engaging in mitigation practices; iii) A legacy of rural depopulation and agricultural abandonment contributing to fuel build-up and increased fire risk—demonstrating that past mobility can be a driver of present environmental hazards.
Interviews and field notes were transcribed and analyzed using Atlas.ti. The analysis combined deductive coding, aligned with the project’s research questions, and inductive coding to surface emergent themes.
Key analytical insights included: the importance of perception and trust in shaping mobility decisions under risk; the entanglement of emotional and historical attachments with structural vulnerabilities; the inadequacy of one-size-fits-all relocation or risk mitigation strategies that fail to account for social and cultural complexity.
The empirical data support a broader reconceptualization of climate mobility in Europe—one that integrates institutional trust, place attachment, and socio-political dynamics into adaptation planning.
