As the United States went into lockdown beginning in March 2020 to contain the spread of the coronavirus, tens of millions of workers lost their jobs within weeks, particularly in sectors that require face-to-face interaction, such as restaurants, hotels, shops, and even health clinics. The effects have been felt differently by different groups, including immigrants.

The relationship between climate change and migration is long and complex. Human civilizations have been affected by environmental conditions for centuries, but we should be wary of arguments that huge numbers of people are inevitably destined to migrate in response to specific climate threats. In this episode of Changing Climate, Changing Migration, we chat with Alex de Sherbinin of Columbia University’s Center for International Earth Science Information Network about what the research shows—and does not show.

Read the full article about climate change and migration at Migration Policy Institute.