To Stay or Not to Stay: Climate Induced Natural Disasters’ Effects on Migration in the U.S.

Research completed by Nicole Paulson, graduated 2020 with Honors in Economics.

Abstract of research: Natural disasters, such as storms, fires, floods or hurricanes, are sudden shocks to the economy with long lasting effects. One of those effects is human migration to and from the area affected by a natural disaster. Human displacement after natural disasters restructures local economies, and not being adequately prepared for these changes can lead to serious economic implications for disaster-hit areas. I investigate the effect of natural disaster on net migration in the United States. As natural disasters overwhelmingly increase in frequency and intensity, policy for alleviating large influxes of displaced people must be considered.