Climate change could affect migration to the U.S., new study says

Climbing temperatures are expected to raise sea levels and increase droughts, floods, heat waves and wildfires.

Now, scientists are predicting another consequence of climate change – mass migration to the United States.

As many as 7 million Mexicans could migrate to the U.S. by 2080 as climate change reduces agricultural production in Mexico, according to a new study being published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

“Given the climate projections are correct, gradually over the next several decades heading toward the end of the century it becomes one of the more important factors in driving Mexicans across the border, all other things being equal ,” said Michael Oppenheimer, professor of geosciences and international affairs at Princeton University.

Of course, Oppenheimer acknowledged, all things will not remain equal. Changes could occur in U.S. immigration and border policy or in Mexico’s economy and its reliance on agriculture. But this is the first step in studying the effect of global warming on migration, he said.

-- Anna Gorman

Comments

[Phil]

It's ironic that the right wing in America wants to stop immigration but denies the global warming that will exacerbate the immigration trends.

[Tornadoes28]

That will only happen if we allow it. I'm not talking about Global Warming, I'm talking about securing our borders and punishing people and businesses that hire illegal aliens.

[Tom M.]

Not if the US actually gets serious about border security....

[Public Servant54]

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight!

[J Story]

"As many as 7 million Mexicans could migrate to the U.S. by 2080 as climate change reduces agricultural production in Mexico"

So immigration will fall dramatically due to gw? That is good news..

Can't wait for the next "scientific" guesstimate from the Global Warming magic 8-ball, try it yourself!!

http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~ssanty/cgi-bin/eightball.cgi

[Social Worker]

Great- more people. Over population will kill us- the parsites that we are and I am happy for it. The world will be free at last to thrive.
What a bunch of morons most of us are.
Oh, wait- global warming is not real......idiots.

[Texas Troubadour]

Hey Phil, ever think about distinguishing between legal and illegal immigration? Try it sometime lol.

[Martin]

You've got it backwards, JStory - the article says that immigration will RISE due to global warming. Before you get snide about a situation that every respected climatologist in the world agrees is happening, get your facts straight. We're in trouble.

[Judy]

Phil, at best, weather is chaos theory-very unpredictable.Everything seems to be cyclical. You blame right wingers-too bad. Why not blame Mexico? What have they done to help the ecology? What have they done to help their poor? Don't you think money sent by illegals-and is part of their national income-is a bit wrong? Mexico is losing their arable land, not us! For years people have been trying to get them to switch to wheat instead of corn-as corn is so depleting-but they won't listen. Blame them, not supposed right wingers.

[Fed Up]

Canada, better get your immigration laws in order , now. Don't want to be labeled as "racist". With "Global Warming", the US may be the next desert of North America.

[BRUCE]

Where do they get these nut job "scientists" to come up with such crap? The liberal school of lunacy? They would say anything to sell climate change or global warming!! Now that they know people are upset about illegals they come up with this!! LMAO!! Can't wait to see what they come up with next to sell thier snake oil.....

[Two Cents]

So we're having one of the coolest summers any of us can remember... wonder how the "climate change" gurus will spin this one...

[JKoo]

@ Judy "Mexico is losing their arable land, not us!"

Most people in this country have apparently not heard of what overfertilization and loss of topsoil will do to worldwide agricultural output....

[Joe Earth]

Any change in agricultural productivity can lead to mass migrations. In addition to dealing with global warming, it would probably be a good idea to help Mexico to develop a more diverse economic base.