Migration and the Environment in the Galapagos: An analysis of economic and policy incentives driving migration, potential impacts from migration control, and potential policies to reduce migration pressure

Abstract

From 1974 through 1997 the Galapagos experienced very rapid population growth, around six per cent per year. Sustained at this level, the population would continue to double every 12 years. Increased population brings an increased risk of invasive introduced species, which endangers the fragile ecosystems. On 18 March 1998, a Special Law was passed to protect the Galapagos. This law severely limits migration to the islands. We discuss the environmental problems that motivated the law, describe the law, and discuss anecdotal evidence on its operation and potential to date. We then theoretically assess the implications of limiting migration and empirically assess the history and drivers of migration to Galapagos. In particular we discuss distorted incentives arising from subsidies and inadequate regulations that exacerbate migration pressure. Finally, we draw on our analysis to offer some short and longer term policy solutions and ideas on how existing capacity could be enhanced to implement them.

Understanding Invasive Species in the Galapagos Islands

“…Tourism is the main engine driving the Galapagos economy. In 2004, it was reported that tourism employs 40% of the residents and represents almost 65% of the local economy (Kerr et al 2004). In 2016, Pizzitutti et al estimated that nearly 60% of residents are associated with tourism and that tourism accounts for nearly 80% of the local economy.…”

Using stylized agent-based models for population–environment research: a case study from the Galápagos Islands

“…This influx of migrants and visitors in recent years has been accompanied by many introduced plants and animals (Mauchamp 1997; Kerr et al 2004; Watkins and Cruz 2007), some of which have become invasive and not only threaten endemic species, but also affect the local human population through changes in land use and shifts in livelihoods. The problem has become so widespread in the archipelago that introduced plants have been deemed one of the greatest threats to the terrestrial ecosystem of the islands (Kerr et al 2004).…”

Collaborative Learning and Global Education: Human–Environment Interactions in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

“…Thousands of new residents began to migrate from the mainland of Ecuador, attracted by the promise of lucrative opportunities linked to the islands' rich marine and terrestrial ecosystems and the lack of economic opportunities in many parts of the mainland (Borja 2003;Kerr, Cardenas, and Hendy 2004). The fast-paced development of the tourism industry contributed to the growth of the local population, from under 10,000 in 1990 to nearly 23,000 residents today (Instituto Nacionál de Estadistica y Censos 2010).…”