The time to start preparing for mass migration spurred by climate change is already here.

"Climate change impacts are projected to displace 216 million people in developing regions by 2050," reports Tim McDonnell.
That's the conclusion of a new report from the World Bank, which predicts that sea-level rise and water scarcity will be the primary driving force of climate-related displacement—some of which will occur within the borders of existing countries and even within city limits.
"As early as 2030, cities like Cairo, Hanoi, Dhaka, Tashkent could become climate immigration hotspots. The latest report, which focuses primarily on North Africa, East Asia, and Central Asia, builds on a document from 2018 that focused on sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and South Asia," explains McDonnell.
The World Bank report echoes the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report from August of this year, saying that every degree of warming that can be mitigated through emission reductions will have an impact on the number of migrants later in the century—and the conditions they will face as they move around their countries.
"People move around anyway, and urbanization has been growing for decades," writes McDonnell. "The challenge, highlighted by the report, is to ensure that destination locations are ready, with safe, affordable housing, employment opportunities, and sufficient public services for a growing population."
FULL STORY: The World Bank says climate change could displace more than 200 million people

New Florida Law Curbs HOA Power
The legislation seeks to cut down on ‘absurd’ citations for low-level violations.

New Tennessee Law Allows No-Cost Incentives for Affordable Housing
Local governments in the Volunteer State can now offer developers incentives like increased density, lower parking requirements, and priority permitting for affordable housing projects.

Planners’ Complicity in Excessive Traffic Deaths
Professor Wes Marshall’s provocatively-titled new book, "Killed by a Traffic Engineer," has stimulated fierce debates. Are his criticisms justified? Let’s examine the degree that traffic engineers contribute to avoidable traffic deaths.

Study: Housing Crisis is About Affordability, not Supply
New research shows that there is no overall shortage of housing units, but all U.S. metropolitan areas face a severe lack of affordable units for low-income renters.

Are Race-Based Lawsuits Affecting Community Lenders?
Shelterforce spoke with community lending leaders and experts about the current mood across the sector. What, if anything, are organizations doing to avoid becoming the next target of conservative activists?

New Park Promotes Community and Connectivity in Lewisville, Texas
The city of Lewisville just celebrated the opening of Glory Park/Parque la Gloria, helping to improve park access and the quality of life for residents.
City of Madera
City of Santa Clarita
Borough of Carlisle
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Colorado Energy Office
Pima County Community College District
City of Piedmont, CA
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.