What is a Climate Haven?
And why I’m moving to one.
A recent Redfin study found that half of Americans surveyed who are moving in the next year plan to do so because of climate change. This remarkable statistic makes sense. Even in the best scenario 40+ million American’s homes are at risk of climate catastrophes. The good news is there are still many places to live that will be safe from climate risks. These places are called climate havens and they are readily available.
The Great Climate Migration
It’s not news that the climate crisis is escalating at a terrifying pace. Sea level rise, inland flooding and wildfires are destroying people’s homes and devastating lives all across the country. As a result, the great climate migration has begun. As the New York Times explains,
“Today 1% of the world is a barely livable hot zone. By 2070, that portion could go up to 19%. Billions of people call this land home. Where will they go?”
At the southern border of the United States, we are already seeing South American and Mexican migrants fleeing climate crises. Now people within US are also forced to flee because of climate related disasters. CBS recently reported on American climate refugees escaping wildfire in California. NPR reported recently on how “the impacts of climate change could prompt millions of Americans to relocate in coming decades, moving inland away from rising seas, or north to escape rising temperatures.”
I’m a Climate Migrant
I currently live in New York City, which is rated as one of the least climate resilient places to live in America by the EPA’s Climate Resilience Screening Index and FEMA’s National Risk Index. That’s a terrifying thought. As I plan for my future I don’t want to risk buying a home in a city that could be flooded by sea-level rise and stifled by extreme heat.
As I’ve written previously, I’m buying a home in a climate haven. It’s taken months of research, culling through the data and talking to experts. Now that I’ve developed a method to find a climate haven, I want to share it with others. I believe that everyone should have access to climate data and should have the opportunity to avoid devastation of climate catastrophes. This is why I’ve teamed up with Julian Villella to start Lucid Home, a platform to help people find climate resilient real estate. We are also building a Climate Haven community on Facebook.
If you are looking for a new home please join us and read on!
Climate Haven Defined
The good news is that there are plenty of places to live in the US and beyond that will be safe from climate risks. These places are climate havens and they aren’t out of reach.
A climate haven is climate-resilient real estate or a climate-resilient region. It’s a place or a property that will be low-risk and safe to live in even as the climate changes over the next 30+ years. There are two key elements that make a place resilient:
1. The Environmental Factors
A climate haven is a place with low risk of being destroyed by the various environmental impacts of climate change which include:
- Extreme heat
- Sea-level rise
- Inland flooding
- Drought
- Wildfire
- Increasingly frequent hurricanes and tornadoes
To put it more positively, a climate haven is a place that will be comfortable and safe to live in for decades. The temperature will be comfortable most of the year. There will be ample clean water. Rainfall will be manageable, with little risk of flooding. And it will be unlikely to get so dry as to cause droughts or wildfire. The weather will generally be mild and manageable with few extreme events such as hurricanes or tornadoes.
2. Resilience of the Local Government and Community
A climate haven has strong local infrastructure and governance. The government is making investments to ensure that the region can withstand or easily bounce back from any climate related disasters.
The government’s protection of natural resources is a key. As the EPA’s Report “Development of Climate Resilience Screening Index” explains, “protected natural ecosystems are usually better able to recover from acute climate events.”
The City of St Paul, Minnesota offers a great case study in excellent government resilience. As the International Institute of Sustainable Development explains, the City of St Paul improved climate resiliency by replacing a crumbling mall with an urban wetlands, Phalen Wetland Park. The restored wetlands have become an effective part of the area’s stormwater retention system, serving as natural holding tanks for rainwater and prevent sewer overflow. In addition, they created an attractive natural landscape, have increased local biodiversity and became a popular part of the cultural life of the community.
There’s also the societal aspect of climate resilience. A climate haven must have diverse, thriving local economic development with strong social safety-nets, and strong health infrastructure. All of these factors can influence the ability of the community to recover from a disaster
If there is an unexpected disaster, the region’s governance and society as described above will have a big impact on speed of recovery.
Climate Havens Are for Everyone
The good news is that you don’t have to be rich to find a climate haven. You just need to be well informed. Anyone can find a climate haven if you know what to look for.
People in underserved communities in particular can benefit from moving to a climate haven. As the NAACP explains, “climate change has a disproportionate impact on communities of color and low income communities.” If your home represents most of your net-worth, a climate disaster will put you into a financial crisis.
More good news: many of the regions in the U.S. that are most resilient have more affordable real estate. Think of northern cities with access to lots of water and cool weather like Buffalo, NY, where the average home price is $140k. Compared to high risk New York City where average home prices are $650k, Buffalo is looking good.
If you can’t pick up and move to an entirely new city, at least you can find a safer haven within the region you are in. Flood risk, air quality, even wildfire risk can change dramatically from property to property.
I hope this helps every homebuyer to consider climate risks and avoid dangerous places to live.
