Climate resilient-hubs are a concept that refers to communities or areas that are designed and built to withstand the impacts of climate change while maintaining a high quality of life. They are typically built with features such as green infrastructure, renewable energy sources, and sustainable water management systems, among others. These hubs aim to reduce vulnerability to extreme weather events and other climate-related challenges such as sea level rises, flooding, and drought. These – often – urban spaces also provide a platform for innovation and collaboration between different sectors, including government, private industry, and academia. These communities also include regions that are currently too cold for agriculture and other economic activities. In these areas, hitherto unavailable natural resources will become a target of investors as well. Elsewhere, climate change will necessitate significant investments to cope with higher sea levels or extreme weather. Richer economies will often be able to afford such investments and could become relative safe havens as well (e.g. the Netherlands).
Who has access to climate resilient hubs (and whatever is produced there) is (also) determined by geopolitical dynamics. With rising tensions, access to such safe zones is further limited.
The threat of drought and wildfires could reduce the access to resources, as harvests and a lack of potable water pose a direct threat to the food supply of entire populations. New innovations could help to reduce the risk of having too little resources, such as urban farming.
Climate change is the major driver for migration of people and money towards places that are less vulnerable to climate change. Several cities, such as Jakarta or Miami, face an existential threat as they are either built at or below sea level. Risk factors are the height under sea level or the desalination of water supply.
Due to climate change, rising sea levels and extreme weather events life will become more difficult in specific parts of the world, potentially driving people out of their hometowns and discouraging economic investments. Furthermore, climate-related hazards such as diseases, unhealthy temperatures could further deteriorate the liveability of places and brain drains due to forced migration. Other places, by contrast, will experience less problems due to climate change or even become more inhabitable (e.g. Greenland). These places are likely to thrive as a safe haven for displaced people and investments.
