The Midwest may be billed as a “climate haven” insulated from the wildfires and hurricanes hitting the West and Southeast — but experts say even our region faces serious climate challenges.
Why it matters: A “hallmark” of how the Midwest is experiencing climate change is a “weather whiplash effect” like our prolonged droughts followed by heavy precipitation.
- Those rapid shifts put a strain on local infrastructure and make it hard for cities to prepare and adapt, says Steve Bowen, Chicago-based chief scientist at Gallagher Re, a reinsurance company.
State of play: Americans are increasingly citing climate change as a factor in their decision to move from one region to another.
- Some areas of the Midwest have been deemed “climate havens” by city leaders and climate scientists , because of protection from sea-level rise, more temperate weather and proximity to the Great Lakes’ freshwater.
Reality check: Our region’s intensifying heat and precipitation still impose harsh conditions and put pressure on its infrastructure, Jeremy Porter, head of climate implications for the research group First Street Foundation, tells Axios.