The Problem With ‘Climate Havens’
Should cities billed as climate refuges prepare to welcome newcomers displaced by extreme weather, or focus on reducing their own carbon footprints to stave off the worst effects of global warming?
Extreme weather events like Superstorm Sandy have tested the climate resilience of New York City and the towns and cities further up the Hudson River.
Photographer: Mario Tama/Getty Images North AmericaJulie Noble knows a thing or two about what happens when a city gets a reputation as a safe haven.
Last year, droves of New York City residents rushed north to Kingston, a town in New York’s Hudson Valley about 100 miles from Manhattan, as they sought refuge from the Covid-19 pandemic. The result has been homes selling sight unseen to cash buyers and new businesses so niche — like one focused entirely on grilled cheese — that they leave “Old Kingston” residents scratching their heads.