Climate gentrification and green infrastructure in the U.S. Great Lakes region: Engaging with heat exposure and adaptation policy

Abstract

Climate risks can pose significant challenges and create adaptation policy instruments in response. Green infrastructure has played a pivotal role in enhancing adaptation or minimizing maladaptation in the context of climate risks. In this work, we 1) identify climate gentrification dynamics with two hypotheses and 2) examine the role of green infrastructure as a climate policy effort in the dynamics of gentrification and climate adaptation/maladaptation to heat exposure within the U.S. Great Lakes region and four metropolitan cities between 2010 and 2019. Drawing on temporal and spatial effects, our findings suggest that green infrastructure efforts can play a vital role in adaptation/maladaptation policy intervention for addressing climate gentrification effects. Our work is a preliminary study examining the complex relations between climate, society, and policy.