Climate Migration

Changing hydrological processes and patterns are impacting the distribution of freshwater resources across the globe which is, in turn, driving human mobility. Water-driven migration into the Great Lakes region could spur economic development providing an opportunity to rebrand the Rust Belt as the Water Belt given an abundance of accessible freshwater supplied by the Great Lakes. Cities like Detroit, Rochester, Buffalo, and Milwaukee could see a renaissance as their infrastructure is put to good use. However, securing affordable, accessible, and quality drinking water in the face of privatization of freshwater resources remains a challenge, now and in the foreseeable future.

It is vital to deprivatize freshwater resources, create municipal-owned beverage companies, and reclaim revenue streams from private companies that are making billions of dollars off of the bottling and resale of water. 

Recycling and reusing wastewater can help in creating healthy interdependencies between urban and rural communities. We must shift an economy that has been based on extraction and single use to a closed loop model.  In addition to water reuse, we have an opportunity to mine phosphorus and nitrogen from wastewater and use it as fertilizer, improve water quality, and reduce surface runoff through the investment of green infrastructure. The National Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP) promotes the sustainable use of our water resources. 

Explore the Great Lakes Workshop Report from Sea Grant’s People on the Move in a Changing Climate