The effects of global warming on rural–urban migrations

a column by Giovanni Peri and Akira Sasahara for VOX: CEPR’s Policy Portal

Though the economic consequences of climate change will be felt across the globe, not all populations will be affected equally.

This column examines the impact of rising temperatures on migrant communities. Using historical data from three decades (1970-2000), it finds that higher temperatures increased the number of rural-to-urban migrations in middle-income countries while decreasing rural-to-urban migrations in poor countries.

The prospect of climate change leaving large rural populations trapped in poverty adds urgency to the case for addressing the asymmetric effects of global warming.

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