Is your US city prepared for the consequences of climate change?

More than a theory

Climate change has stopped being a theory to turn into a reality that affects our present and our future. Cities need to prepare now for the impending disaster.

The consquences of climate change

Coastal cities could face dire changes in the face of climate change, and the United States is no exception.

High shores and higher temperatures

Places like New York City, San Francisco, Miami, and New Orleans could see their shorelines reduced and the heat rising in the following decades.

High in Denver

According to Architecture Digest, the most climate-resilient city in the United States is Denver, Colorado, with clean energy initiatives and minimal threats of extreme weather damage.

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The boast of North Carolina

Denver was followed by Raleigh, North Carolina, in Architectural Digest's list of most climate-resilient cities, boasting of better air quality than Denver.

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The mormon capital

In the third spot, there's Salt Lake City, Utah. Architectural Digest highlights that although the city is vulnerable to wildfires, it faces relatively few risks of natural disasters.

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No love for Miami

Miami, Florida, ranked the worst out of the 50 metropolitan areas studied, with the highest infrastructure risk and population exposure.

City on a hill

Overall, cities that fared better tended to be inland, and in higher latitudes or at least in higher elevations.

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Climate change-proof cities

Putting aside previously mentioned places such as Denver or Raleigh, some of these include Seattle, Washington or Atlanta, Georgia. Pictured is downtown Atlanta.

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Down south

Meanwhile, those ranked as the riskiest tended to be along the coast of the US South or in California. Some of them are Houston, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; or San Diego, California.

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Escape from New York

New York City was placed among the bottom ten of the 50 US cities that were studied.

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Preparing for the worst

Daniel Cusick from Politico told CBS some things cities could do to prepare themselves for extreme weather conditions brought by climate change.

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Fire and ice

Cusick explains that home and buildings should be safer, made to resist fire and flood in mind.

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Paint it white

Trees and pavements should also be painted in lighter colors to deal with rising temperatures.