Risk and Reconstruction Evaluation of Ecological Migration Project in Sanjiangyuan Area in China

Ecological Migration Project conducted since 2004 by Qinghai Government which aims to protect the worsening environmental situation in Sanjiangyuan Area. Based on the questionnaire survey data in Kunlun Immigrants Village in the suburb of Golmud City, using Cernea's impoverishment risks and reconstruction (IRR) model, this paper analyzed the risks that the migrants may face in the process of resettlement and reconstruction. Besides, environmental risk is also added to the evaluation framework to fit the environmental migration context. The results showed that some risks decreased after the migration (such as homelessness, food insecurity, increased morbidity, loss of access to common property resources and community disarticulation), while some risks are increased (landlessness, joblessness and marginalization). For environmental effect is not time to draw a conclusion yet and need a long term observation. Some policy implications are posed out to improve the process of project planning and policy making.