Skip to Content
Climate change and energy

Climate change will cause huge internal migration around the world

The World Bank says that 140 million people could be forced to relocate to another part of their country by 2050 as a result of rising temperatures.

The problem: Global warming will cause localized heat waves. Two new studies in Nature Climate Change this week outline how America and Russia will be hit by such effects, for instance.

The news: Rising temperatures will force people to flee some areas. The World Bank predicts that 86 million people in sub-Saharan Africa, 40 million in South Asia, and 17 million in Latin America will have to move in order to survive.

Why it matters: It could cause huge economic and social disruption, especially in poor countries that are least able to deal with huge population movements. The World Bank urges such nations to focus attention on planning for greater internal migration, and it encourages all nations to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

Deep Dive

Climate change and energy

The problem with plug-in hybrids? Their drivers.

Plug-in hybrids are often sold as a transition to EVs, but new data from Europe shows we’re still underestimating the emissions they produce.

Harvard has halted its long-planned atmospheric geoengineering experiment

The decision follows years of controversy and the departure of one of the program’s key researchers.

Why hydrogen is losing the race to power cleaner cars

Batteries are dominating zero-emissions vehicles, and the fuel has better uses elsewhere.

Decarbonizing production of energy is a quick win 

Clean technologies, including carbon management platforms, enable the global energy industry to play a crucial role in the transition to net zero.

Stay connected

Illustration by Rose Wong

Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review

Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.

Thank you for submitting your email!

Explore more newsletters

It looks like something went wrong.

We’re having trouble saving your preferences. Try refreshing this page and updating them one more time. If you continue to get this message, reach out to us at customer-service@technologyreview.com with a list of newsletters you’d like to receive.