How climate change will make it harder to stay where we live
According to a new USA Today/Ipsos survey, many Americans think climate change won’t just change how they live, but where they’ll live.
From rising temperatures to rising sea levels, more than two in three Americans think extreme weather events will become more frequent in the near future. And now, about one in four say it will get more difficult to stay in the area they currently live in due to climate change.
Americans who live in urban areas are particularly worried, with 32% agreeing that it will get more difficult to stay where they are. In rural areas, on the other hand, only one in ten agrees with the statement.
But no matter how you slice it, “climate migration” could have a dramatic impact on the nation’s economy, culture and demography, says Mallory Newall, a vice president in Ipsos’ Public Affairs team. And as extreme weather becomes more severe and frequent, those who can’t afford to move, or are otherwise unable to relocate — such as lower-income or disabled Americans — will be disproportionately vulnerable to the worst effects.
“The clock is ticking to prepare for and mitigate the effects of a changing environment.”
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One in four Americans say climate change will make it harder to live in their area