Climate refuge or climate haven describes a place that would be relatively more desirable due to climate change. Most scientists do not think there are places that would not be significantly negatively impacted by climate change.
Some US cities have promoted themselves as a better long-term place to live in order to attract more residents or investment.
History
United States
In 2018, the term started to become more common fueled by people looking for hope amidst climate change and by localities that took the chance to promote themselves, particularly in the Rust Belt.
By 2024, some real estate listings promote climate scores that estimate the level of climate risk exposure to a property. Hurricane Helene devastating Asheville, North Carolina prompted the New York Times to publish a piece that quoted professors who were largely critical of the concept while arguing that some areas would still be relatively less costly to live in and adapt to than others even if climate change impacts all parts of the country.
See also
References
- ^ Estes, Adam Clark (2024-10-09). "The shady origins of the climate haven myth". Vox. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
- O’Connell-Domenech, Alejandra (September 7, 2023). "Cities are advertising themselves as 'climate havens.' Experts say there's no such thing". The Hill.
- De Socio, Mike (July 1, 2024). "US cities are advertising themselves as 'climate havens'. But can they actually protect residents from extreme weather?". BBC. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
- Andreoni, Manuela (October 1, 2024). "'Climate Havens' Don't Exist". New York Times.
Further reading
- Why these 'climate haven' cities aren’t yet ready for more extreme weather events (August 26, 2023), PBS News