Responses to Extreme Temperatures: Migrant Networks and International Migration from El Salvador
Abstract
We show that exposure to extreme temperatures significantly increases international migration from El Salvador, where nearly a quarter of the population lives in the United States. Extreme temperatures reduce corn yields, leading producers to decrease their use of postharvest inputs and demand for agricultural workers. These income losses, combined with established US migration networks, increase emigration. Our findings highlight how international migration serves as a response to extreme temperatures when destination networks are strong and migration remains financially feasible. This pattern is not unique to El Salvador: Roughly 30 million farms globally are in low-income settings with access to remittances. (JEL F24, J15, J23, J43, O15, Q12, Q54)
Fields of Study & Subjects
Climate Change
Adaptation
Migration
Climate change impacts on agriculture
Migration and Labor Dynamics
Publication details
- Journal / source
- American Economic Journal Economic Policy
- Publisher
- American Economic Association
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 212–241
- Publication date
- 29 April 2026
- Language
- EN