From Pacific island nations to the U.S. – The number of people migrating because of concerns about global warming is growing and threatening to impact politics and cultures worldwide. Some of the ”ecomigrants” are moving to higher ground before their nations are deluged, others seek to avoid hurricanes and other violent weather conditions.

In Bangladesh, about 12 million to 17 million people have fled their homes in recent decades because of environmental disasters — and the low-lying country is likely to experience more intense flooding in the future. In several countries in Africa’s Sahel region, bordering the Sahara, about 10 million people have been driven to move by droughts and famines.

New Zealand is also a favored destination for the beleaguered 100,000 residents of the Pacific nation of Kiribati, a collection of islands that will soon be overwhelmed by rising seas.

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