Fortune reports that younger generations are flocking to the Midwest seeking homes that cost 30% less than in New York City or Los Angeles. If urban sustainability planner Hillary Brown is correct, this is only the beginning.
An even bigger migration will occur as climate change hits the coasts harder, says Brown, former director of the Urban Sustainability Program at City College of New York.
In her new book, Revitalize Resettle: How Main Street USA Can Offer New Beginnings for America’s Climate, she offers advice on how inland communities can prepare for climate migration and improve their prosperity by making improvements now, including making a shift to clean and distributed energy.
We talked to Brown in this episode of Energy Changemakers Podcast about the policy frameworks, energy planning, community-led models, and financial opportunities that can help small towns thrive while providing a lifeline for those displaced by climate change.
Listen to the episode
What you’ll learn about climate migration and DERS in this episode
- What climate migration looks like in the U.S.—and why it’s already underway
- Why many people are still moving to climate-vulnerable areas like Florida and the Southwest
- How small towns can prepare to welcome newcomers and strengthen their local economies
- The role of distributed energy systems (DERs) solar, wind, microgrids, and storage—in climate-ready planning
- Real-world examples of small towns transforming through grassroots efforts, tax incentives, and energy innovation
- How philanthropic investment and private sector engagement can support local resilience
- The importance of Main Street revitalization in creating economically viable, socially connected communities
About Hillary Brown
Hillary Brown is a leading voice in urban sustainability and infrastructure planning. She served as director of the Urban Sustainability Program at City College of New York and is the author of several books on next-generation infrastructure. Her most recent book, Revitalize Resettle: How Main Street USA Can Offer New Beginnings for America’s Climate Displaced, offers a practical, visionary blueprint for how small towns can prepare for climate migration and create stronger, more resilient communities in the process.
Additional resources
- Revitalize Resettle: How Main Street USA Can Offer New Beginnings for America’s Climate Displaced — available via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other major booksellers
- Making Rural America into a Climate Migration Mecca with the Help of Distributed Energy, Energy Changemakers, 8/8/2024
- Energy Changemakers newsletter for the latest on energy innovation
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