As climate rises to the top of our national consciousness, work for climate adaptation and mitigation across the U.S. is on the rise. One interesting example is the outreach and education being done by North Carolina’s Doug Bruggeman, Ph.D.
Bruggeman explains that natural disasters have become a significant factor underlying mortgage default, and highlights that properties less vulnerable to threats like flooding are selling at comparably higher prices.
His “Climate Change & Real Estate Investing” classes are designed to help Realtors understand the threats that drought, wildfires, floods, hurricanes, and sea level rise pose to clients buying or selling real property. His classes discuss the best available science and expose the links between environmental threats and climate change. Realtors are using the classes to understand risk under climate change, to learn about the existing uncertainties, and to access the best available scientific information.
While most realtors won’t become scientific experts, this important resource can help professionals direct their clients to critical resources.
