Since the 1990’s, the environment has become a subject of central importance in humanities and social sciences – interest in political ecology and environmental ethics has grown dramatically in both the United States and Europe (Hache, 2012; Kalaora & Vassopoulos, 2014), environmental history has become a vast field of study, at once structured and diversified (Lochet & Quenet, 2009), political science is investigating approaches to the governance of resources (Olstrom, 1990), and “instruments” have been implemented by institutions responsible for the environment (Lascoumes, 1994; Lascoumes & Le Galès, 2004). In particular, the field of environmental sociology has made important advances, focusing particularly on issues related to environmental justice in regards to the most vulnerable social groups, e.g., migrants (Gagnon, 2008; Park & Pillow, 2002). Whereas research was previously the monopoly of federal agencies and Californian “think tanks,” an increasing number of researchers began to explore the impacts of the ongoing ecological transitions, and possible adaptation to these rapid changes. [first paragraph]