Climate Connections Some people are getting trapped in place as the climate changes
Mar 4, 2026
Aylin Benvenist, a researcher of climate-driven migration and vulnerability, explains who can and cannot move as weather worsens. She discusses how education and income shape reactions to extreme weather. She highlights why lower-income and less-educated people are most likely to be unable to relocate.
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Uneven Migration Responses To Heat Waves
- Climate change won't necessarily trigger massive cross-border migration worldwide.
- Aylin Benvenist's analysis shows migration responses vary by vulnerability and education, with less-educated people more likely to move after heat waves.
Education Predicts Cross Border Moves
- Education level shapes who migrates after weather shocks, with lower-educated individuals more likely to migrate internationally.
- Benvenist links this pattern to job types and exposure, noting higher-educated people often work indoors and are less affected.
Climate Can Trap The Poorest In Place
- Low-income households can become trapped in place because migration is costly.
- Benvenist explains climate stressors can deplete resources so people need to move but lack the funds to do so.