Eco-fascism and anti-immigration attitudes

The correlation of immigration with environmental problems has been debated over and argued for a long time in the UK. Arguments have been made regarding the fact that immigration results in an increasing population, with the consequence of overcrowding. This in turn puts a strain on the water supply, on transportation, and on housing in the UK. However, this mindset is incorrect, as it fails to consider the fact that the UK government policy does not in the first place prioritise social housing for immigrants, and that new immigrants often live in poorer quality neighbourhoods (Friends of the Earth, 2006). Extrapolating from there, many also claim that the generation of waste will be greatly increased by immigrants. This is despite the fact that immigrants are a minority of the UK population and would not actually be able to largely affect the amount of waste generated as a whole significantly. Furthermore, in this case it is not the fact of waste generated, but how the waste is disposed, and thtat responsibility falls onto the government. This mindset is also problematic in that it implies that wastage is worse because of its association with immigrants, in other words, that waste generated by immigrants is somehow more ecologically damaging than waste generated by natives (Neumayer, 2006). In a developed, highly urbanised UK where wastage is a steadily growing problem, shifts of societal views to adopt a more environmentally conscious attitude are expected. Hence, it is possible that anti-immigration ideologies that claim to be founded out of concern for the environment will have a strong presence as compared to other lines of arguments (e.g. the economic viewpoints). Discrimination against immigrants have founded their arguments on numerous reasons, ranging from the prevalence of unemployment, the housing problem, and so on, and the claim that immigrants cause environmental problems will only add to that list, and worsen the discrimination they already face.

Impact of environmental changes on internal migration

On a large scale, the UK is very unlikely to be prone to droughts, as it is located in the nothern temperate latitude, a region which has no lack of rain, as well as being located in the middle of several large bodies of water, such as the Irish Sea and the English Channel, amongst others. Even in the inland areas, the prevalence of strong west winds indicate that droughts are highly unlikely. Hence, not much change has been predicted with regards to the annual rate of precipitation in the UK in the future (Fielding, 2011). However, the 2050s summer precipitation levels are hypothesised to drop between 10 - 30%, perhaps worse in the Southwest region (Jones, Harpham, Kilsby, Glenis & Burton, 2009). Considering that the summer is the growing season in the UK, it can be inferred that this decreased precipitation will greatly impact the agricultural industry, which forms just 2% of the UK workforce, and yet accounts for 60% of the demand for food in the UK. Hence, first and foremost, it is probable that the environmental changes in the future will affect the production of food within the UK (Barling, Sharpe & Lang, 2008). While quantity may not necessarily be greatly affected, what will most probably change is the distribution of the types of crops grown across the UK. When we take into consideration the climate changes of the future, the southern and southeastern regions of the UK, currently most apt for livestock production and temperate cereals, may eventually become more suited for growing fruits and vegetables (Berry et al., 2006). This is just one example, and other regions may experience similar changes. Hence, it is probable that agricultural workers may choose to emigrate to a different region in order to produce goods they find more commercially viable, for example. It could also be a result of need, since the warmer temperatures are expected to have a greater effect on the northern locations. Apart from falling rates of precipitation, rising sea levels could also prompt migration within the country. Comparing 2060 to 1990, the sea level is expected to rise in future, with variations across the country, such as 26 cm in London, as compared to 17 cm in Edinburgh (Jones, Harpham, Kilsby, Glenis & Burton, 2009). This rise in sea levels could result in river flooding, especially in the areas of larger rivers in the UK, and coastal damage. Although flood prevention measures will most likely be implemented in valuable coastal areas such as London, in areas where the costs are felt to outweigh the benefits, less valuable low-lying coastal areas may have their residents evacuating from them into other less flood-prone areas in the UK (Fielding, 2011).