Hurricane Helene Signals the End of the ‘Climate Haven’

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Posted on 10/06/2024 7:36:00 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

Hurricane Helene demolished the notion there are places on Earth immune from climate change — an already shaky premise that was further discredited by widespread damage to Asheville, North Carolina, a so-called climate haven.

Even so, experts say climate is a growing factor in many people’s relocation decisions. And some places do have lower comparative risks depending on the type of disaster. That can — and should — influence their decisions on where to move, they say.

“There's no such thing as a climate haven,” said Jesse Keenan, a professor of sustainable real estate and urban planning at Tulane University. “But what has happened is that various people, including myself, have identified cities where people are moving to, where consumer preferences are shaping the demand for places.”

“Everyone has been asking about Asheville as a climate haven,” said Kathie Dello, North Carolina’s state climatologist. “We’ve never really agreed with that. There’s always been a risk of flooding and fire.”

While climate havens may be a myth, Keenan said his work has highlighted the fact that some cities around the U.S. are becoming climate “receiving zones” — places where some people are choosing to move, in part, for climate-related reasons.

Asheville is among them, he said.

(Excerpt) Read more at scientificamerican.com ...

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