You probably know that climate change is causing environmental instability, and at least some regional political instability, but thanks to climate-related migration, climate change may lead to political instability throughout the world in coming years.

A report released today by Columbia University’s Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), the United Nations University and CARE International examines the effects of climate change on human migration, suggesting that climate-related migration could have far greater consequences we had previously thought.

As climate change leads to rising sea levels, more frequent and more intense natural disasters, and possibly massive droughts, more and more people will be forced to migrate just to survive. The report makes a “middle-road” estimate that 200 million people will be uprooted by environmental change by 2050.

Just as poor individuals are currently disproportionately affected by climate change, those living in developing countries will be most immediately affected by migration. However, migration on a large scale, both within and between countries, could interfere with the development of entire countries, and lead to political instability and increased tensions throughout the world.