Seeing Climate Change Coming
How soon will climate change force you to move? Across the country, far more people are in danger of becoming climate refugees than you might think.
Adele Peters, January 8, 2019 (Fast Company)
“…The fire that destroyed Paradise was the most destructive in California history. But it’s an example of the kind of event that is becoming more likely as climate change intensifies disasters…[And forced relocations] will also become more common in the wake of hurricanes, wildfires, or slower-moving disasters like sea level rise…By the end of the century, around 13 million Americans may be displaced by sea level rise alone; globally, that number may be around 2 billion…The risk is not the same everywhere…Some investors are starting to buy property in lower-income neighborhoods that are on slightly higher ground…[Poorer communities are likely to] be hit hardest…[as cities] struggle to be able to afford to build infrastructure to adapt…
...Those who can least afford to move may also be most likely to be stuck in neighborhoods that can’t mitigate damage…For those who can leave, no destination is immune from the effects of climate change. Some parts of the U.S. will be hardest hit economically, particularly the Southeast, but the whole country is beginning to see negative impacts…The same thing is true globally–while some regions will be hardest hit, there’s no real escape…Adaptive infrastructure could help residents, at least in some places, have a better chance of staying in place…It’s also important to note that the worst impacts are not yet inevitable…[Reducing emissions] could spare over 4.1 million Americans–including nearly 2 million Floridians–from having to confront the difficult choice of whether to stay and cope with disruptive flooding or whether to move.” click here for more
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