Climate Change Sanctuaries and Climate-Proofing Cities
Climate Change is transforming our global ecosystems. With each passing year, rising temperatures give way to more drought and increased intensity of storms. The enhanced evaporation of water into the atmosphere provides fuel for these storms to develop, while the increased surface temperature of the water and higher atmospheric temperatures means more wind to carry these storms. Melting ice reserves raise sea levels and expose the land to erosion, pulling us piece by piece into the ocean. No location or city is entirely immune to the effects of climate change, but some may feel the heat more than others. Urbanization subjects areas to increased rainwater surface runoff, increased temperatures, and decreased evaporation of water when compared to their rural counterparts. Urban building materials like brick, asphalt, and concrete absorb more heat than grass and trees, often making cities 10-15°C warmer than their rural surroundings. Even without the influence of climate change, the “urban heat island effect” raises the temperatures of cities. With no decline in urban living in sight, we must explore what urbanization and climate change mean for the health of our cities and the people living in them. Furthermore, which areas of the country are projected to fare the best in the coming years, and why?
“Urban building materials like brick, asphalt, and concrete absorb more heat than grass and trees, often making cities 10-15°C warmer than their rural surroundings.” Source: URBANDLAND
By 2050 two out of every three people in the world are projected to be living in cities or other urban centers. The implications for human health are obvious, and we are already observing them. Intense heat and cold exposure, poor housing conditions, and limited access to cooling and warming options will disproportionately impact certain populations. The average person of color lives in a census area with a higher surface urban heat island (SUHI) intensity than non-Hispanic whites in 169 of the 175 largest urbanized areas in the continental United States (~65% of the total population). A similar pattern is observed for those living below the poverty line relative to those at more than two times the poverty line.
Given the impending challenges of city living, those with the means to do so are exploring the possibility of moving to the urban areas most resistant and resilient to changing climate. These “climate proof”, or “climate sanctuaries” cities have been ranked by multiple sources using different quantifiable variables including resilience to natural hazards, air quality, pollution, history of climate disasters, risk of rising sea level, and heat. Two different analyses done by Policygenius and The Zebra place four of the same locations in their top-ten rankings. Making both lists are Minneapolis, MN, Milwaukee, WI, Columbus, OH, and Richmond, VA. The rest of Zebra’s results favored cities in the Northeastern United States, while Policygenius included Pacific-Northwestern hubs. The ability of a city to withstand and rebound from a natural disaster is multifactorial, while the susceptibility to disaster is largely based on geographical factors such as proximity to the ocean, plate tectonics, and volcanic activity. Packing up shop and moving to a climate proof city is not the answer to our crisis, however. It is simply not a possibility for most people, and it ignores the mistakes that led us here in the first place. Instead, there are ways we can transform the organization of our urban areas to make them more robust living spaces for years to come.
Nature-based solutions exist that can be applied to many cities in order to reverse urbanization and provide a buffer against climate change. Urban trees regulate temperatures, reduce flood risk, and clean the air. Parks and green spaces provide a habitat for wildlife. Adding vegetation to the walls and roofs of buildings provides insulation from heat and noise and absorbs rainwater. Planting vegetation along riverbanks improves water quality by trapping soil and sediment, and reduces flood damage by slowing water. Man-made rain gardens (bioswales) purify water and reduce flooding. Lakes and ponds inside cities hold water for irrigation and drinking, and support wildlife. These solutions have the power to revive and protect our communities, and can allow equitable access to comfortable living conditions for all people.
