We hear a lot about climate migration—the idea that people will have to move as climate change makes some places unlivable. But is this something we’re still waiting for, or is it already happening?
Megan Hall: Welcome to Possibly, where we take on huge problems like the future of our planet and break them down into small questions with unexpected answers. I’m Megan Hall.
We hear a lot about climate migration—the idea that people will have to move as climate change makes some places unlivable. But is this something we’re still waiting for, or is it already happening?
Our reporters, Iman Khanbhai and Hamid Torabzadeh, looked into it.
Iman Khanbhai: Hi Megan!
Hamid Torabzadeh: Happy to be here!
Megan Hall: So—are people already moving because of climate change?
Hamid Torabzadeh: The short answer? Yes, but it’s complicated.
Iman: To understand why, it helps to think about climate change in two ways: gradual shifts, like rising sea levels, and extreme weather events, like hurricanes or wildfires.
Megan Hall: So, what does that actually look like?
Iman Khanbhai: To learn more, we spoke to Professor Elizabeth Fussell.
Elizabeth Fussell: I’m a professor of population studies in Environment and Society at Brown.
Hamid Torabzadeh: She says what we’re seeing right now is climate change-related migration.
Elizabeth Fussell: What that means is migration that’s driven primarily by an environmental driver, whether that’s an extreme weather event or a gradual change in the environment like drought.
Megan Hall: So, people aren’t moving just because of climate change, but it’s becoming a bigger factor?
Iman Khanbhai: Exactly. People move for a lot of reasons—jobs, housing, family. But when climate disasters destroy homes or livelihoods, they might push people to leave sooner.
Hamid Torabzadeh: And this is already happening on a massive scale. In 2023, more than 20 million people were forced to flee their homes as a result of weather-related disasters.
Iman Khanbhai: And according to data from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center, weather-related displacement has been increasing over the last 15 years.
Megan Hall: Where is this happening most?
Iman: All over. In 2024, catastrophic flooding in Brazil displaced over 300,000 people. And in East Africa, El Niño rains forced more than 350,000 people from their homes.
Hamid Torabzadeh: And of course, the recent fires in Los Angeles are forcing a lot of people in that region to rethink where they live.
Iman Khanbhai: Elizabeth says, even places that are used to extreme weather- like hurricanes can struggle with this new reality.
Hamid Torabzadeh: Like when Hurricane Helene hit North and South Carolina. People were surprised by the intensity of the overflowing rivers, which flooded homes, businesses, and roads.
Iman Khanbhai: The things people did in the past to protect their communities from hurricanes, floods, or wildfires just aren’t working as well anymore. The risks are outpacing their ability to adapt.
Elizabeth Fussell: So, that’s how I see climate change really making a dramatic difference in patterns of migration in the United States.
Megan Hall: If climate change is already influencing migration, what does that mean for the future?
Iman Khanbhai: It means people won’t just move in reaction to disasters—many will start making decisions before disaster strikes.
Hamid Torabzadeh: And we’re already seeing signs of this. Zillow now includes climate risks in home listings, and insurance companies are adjusting rates—or even pulling out of risky areas entirely.
Iman Khanbhai: According to Zillow’s website, more than 4 out of 5 people consider climate risks when they’re shopping for a new home.
Hamid Torabzadeh: If insurance is too expensive—or unavailable—some people might decide to move before they have to. Others might be forced out if property values drop.
Elizabeth Fussell: So that’s something that consumers are most likely taking into account now. But insurers are also taking climate hazards into account when they set their prices.
Hamid Torabzadeh: In a way, financial systems are starting to anticipate climate migration, even if individual people haven’t made those choices yet.
Megan Hall: So, what’s the bottom line?
Iman Khanbhai: Climate change isn’t just a future problem—it’s already reshaping where and how people live. And as risks increase, more people will be making tough choices about whether to stay or to go.
Megan Hall: Got it. Thanks, Iman and Hamid.
That’s it for today. You can find more information, or ask a question about the way your choices affect our planet, at askpossibly.org. You can also subscribe to Possibly wherever you get your podcasts or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, or Bluesky at “askpossibly”
Possibly is a co-production of Brown University’s Institute for Environment and Society, Brown’s Climate Solutions Initiative, and The Public’s Radio
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