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Cities That Were Poised to Absorb Climate Migrants Face a New Challenge

As hurricanes and wildfires accelerate climate migration, U.S. cities that were dubbed “climate havens” face drastic financial shortfalls after Covid-19.

Buffalo, New York, is considered a potential “haven” for people migrating due to climate change, thanks to its weather conditions, size and infrastructure, such as this metro rail system, pictured in 2013. But necessary investments for absorbing new population may be at risk after Covid-19’s financial devastation.

Buffalo, New York, is considered a potential “haven” for people migrating due to climate change, thanks to its weather conditions, size and infrastructure, such as this metro rail system, pictured in 2013. But necessary investments for absorbing new population may be at risk after Covid-19’s financial devastation.

Photographer: Melanie Stetson Freeman/The Christian Science Monitor via Getty Images

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As climate change makes more places unlivable over the next few decades, experts are urging those cities that are spared from the worst to prepare to absorb displaced residents.

But if cities weren’t prepared for a population influx before, many will be even less prepared now, after the pandemic has decimated city revenues and disrupted longer-term initiatives. Some of the cities facing the steepest projected losses are so-called climate havens, places whose geographic location, infrastructure and excess land space are supposed to make them particularly well suited to take in climate migrants.