Human migration and its effects on regional development - from global to local

Human migration, whether on a global or local level, creates new environmental conditions anywhere in the world. Estimates suggest that 175 million people worldwide live outside their country of birth, of whom 100 million are labour migrants. Contrary to popular opinion, most migration takes place between developing countries. However, migration to Europe has grown to such an extent that migrants now make up around 20 million of the European Union’s population of 380 million (Immigrant Council of Ireland, 2003; Evans, 2004)