# Climate gentrification > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Climate_gentrification > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Climate_gentrification.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_gentrification > Source revision: 1327902469 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{More citations needed|date=December 2025}} '''Climate gentrification''' is a subset of [climate migration](/source/climate_migration) where lower-socioeconomic communities are displaced in favor of housing for more wealthy groups. Those affected by this phenomenon are typically in coastal cities, islands, and other vulnerable areas, susceptible to [rising sea levels](/source/rising_sea_levels), [extreme weather events](/source/extreme_weather_events), and other climate-related disasters.{{Cite web |title=Climate gentrification and its effects on vulnerable populations |url=https://seas.umich.edu/news/climate-gentrification-and-its-effects-vulnerable-populations |access-date=2025-04-30 |website=seas.umich.edu |language=en}} == Origin == [Gentrification](/source/Gentrification) is a process of economic displacement where areas of lower [socioeconomic status](/source/socioeconomic_status) are quickly changed by wealthier people moving in. They increase the cost of living and displace lower class residents.{{Cite web |title=Natural disasters, boosted by climate change, displaced millions of people in U.S. in 2022 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/natural-disasters-boosted-climate-change-displaced-millions-americans-rcna69732 |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=NBC News |date=12 February 2023 |language=en}} The [climate crisis](/source/climate_crisis) is a global displacement process. Wealthy people take advantage of this displacement as they would on a smaller scale, establishing "climate gentrification." == Causes == Historically, [vulnerable areas](/source/climate_change_vulnerability) located near seas and beaches excluded [marginalized groups](/source/marginalized_groups) and are populated by high-income communities.{{Cite web |date=2019-02-22 |title=Climate gentrification: why we need to consider social justice in climate change planning |url=https://globalresilience.northeastern.edu/climate-gentrification-why-we-need-to-consider-social-justice-in-climate-change-planning/ |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=Global Resilience Institute |language=en-US}} The unpredictability of climate change has reversed this trend as wealthy communities begin to move inland to prioritize the safety and value of their property. This widespread displacement of lower income groups can be attributed to the security of higher ground that has become prioritized by costal cities. The threat of more extreme weather and rising sea levels is motivating factor for investors to purchase property in a geologically safer location, simultaneously taking advantage of the cheaper property values. Rapid [urbanization](/source/urbanization) in coastal and [wetland](/source/wetland) areas driven by economic, cultural, and environmental factors, has also increased the number of individuals exposed to flooding. As displacement occurs, opportunities for those with the means appear both costal and inland.{{Cite journal |last1=De Koning |first1=K. |last2=Filatova |first2=T. |year=2020 |title=Repetitive floods intensify outmigration and climate gentrification in coastal cities |journal=Environmental Research Letters |volume=15 |issue=3 |pages=034008 |bibcode=2020ERL....15c4008D |doi=10.1088/1748-9326/ab6668 |hdl=10453/147325 |s2cid=212868928 |hdl-access=free}} [Natural disaster](/source/Natural_disaster) events, specifically [hurricanes](/source/hurricanes), are also drivers of displacement. Climate-related disasters in 2018 alone displaced more than 1.2 million people. In 2024 [Hurricane Helene](/source/Hurricane_Helene) was responsible for $78.7 billion worth of damage and economic loss to Southern United States (mostly [Florida](/source/Florida) and the [Carolinas](/source/Carolinas)) along with other countries and territories around the [Atlantic Ocean](/source/Atlantic_Ocean). Experts cite climate change as the reason why rainfall was 10% heavier and rainfall totals over the two-day and three-day maxima were respectively 40% and 70% more likely due to record hot sea-surface temperatures.{{Cite journal |last=Clarke |first=Ben |last2=Barnes |first2=Clair |last3=Sparks |first3=Nathan |last4=Toumi |first4=Ralf |last5=Yang |first5=Wenchang |last6=Giguere |first6=Joseph |last7=Woods Placky |first7=Bernadette |last8=Gilford |first8=Daniel |last9=Pershing |first9=Andrew |last10=Winkley |first10=Shel |last11=Vecchi |first11=Gabriel A |last12=Arrighi |first12=Julie |last13=Roy |first13=Malini |last14=Poole-Selters |first14=Leah |last15=Van Sant |first15=Carolyn |date=2024-10-09 |title=Climate change key driver of catastrophic impacts of Hurricane Helene that devastated both coastal and inland communities |url=http://spiral.imperial.ac.uk/handle/10044/1/115024 |doi=10.25561/115024}} == Effects == Climate gentrification causes low-income and minority communities to bear a disproportionate social and economic burden. As wealthier home owners move towards safer locations due to climate disasters, the cost of living increases and longtime low-income residents are displaced. In elevated regions of Miami, for example, property has [appreciated](/source/capital_appreciation) at a higher rate than anywhere else in the country.{{Cite web |last1=August 27 |last2=Hu |first2=2020 Shelia |title=What Is Climate Gentrification? |url=https://www.nrdc.org/stories/what-climate-gentrification |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=NRDC |date=27 August 2020 |language=en}} Globally, more than 30 million people were displaced in 2020, 98% due to weather and [climate hazards](/source/effects_of_climate_change).{{Cite web |last1=Reilly |first1=Allie |last2=Prince |date=2022-09-16 |title=What Climate Gentrification Means for Climate Adaptation Planning |url=https://www.wsp.com/en-us/insights/2022-climate-gentrification-is-reshaping-america |website=WSP Global}} Displacement, due to extreme weather events, results in developers taking advantage of lower property prices and investing in expensive projects that cater to wealthier people. Once affordable homes are destroyed and expensive structures replace them, [low-income](/source/low-income) residents are forced out of their communities. Socially, migration results in [demographic](/source/demographic) turnover, which causes the loss of community identity and cultural disruption. Long-time residents are suffer from these changes, as many see friends and family forced out by wealthy newcomers. ==References== {{Reflist}} Category:Effects of climate change Category:Environmental issues --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Climate gentrification](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_gentrification) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_gentrification?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.