The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a report last week that showed 2023 was the hottest year on record in their 117 years of collecting this information. Scorching heat waves in the Pacific Northwest, unprecedented flooding in New England and freezing temperatures pushing the limits of Texas’ energy infrastructure to the breaking point – all these signs point to a dangerous climate change progression.
In a 2020 piece for GLAAD, climate activist Jamie Margolin shared the importance of understanding the impact of climate change for LGBTQ+ and other marginalized populations. “People with disabilities, LGBTQ people, Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color, low income communities, and other marginalized people are more likely to confront the deadly effects of climate change in addition to combating other forms of institutionalized barriers in their path to achieving societal equity,” said Margolin.
The following LGBTQ+-friendly and welcoming cities are dealing with some of the country’s most intense climate change issues. How do these cities remain a refuge for the LGBTQ+ community while facing environmental and ecological disasters? Some have action plans to reverse and combat climate change, while others still seek answers.
Fire Island, New York
The famous barrier island off the coast of Long Island has long been a sanctuary for the LGBTQ+ community. Sandy beaches and verdant forest areas line the island, and historically queer areas like The Pines and Cherry Grove are connected by long tracks of boardwalk.
Fire Island is now dealing with erosion of its sand dunes, due to rising sea levels and an increase in powerful storms. That erosion is leading to flooding on the island.
According to the “Climate Change Integrated Vulnerability Assessment” conducted in 2018 by the National Park Service, natural resources like salt marshes and maritime forests, cultural landmarks, and visitor resources like the boardwalk are all at a high level of vulnerability due to climate change. Part of the report’s introduction states, “For a dynamic barrier island like Fire Island National Seashore, many plants and animals are adapted to a changing landscape. But climate change is pushing our environment and management strategies beyond the ability to adapt.”
Fires have also caused significant damage to the Island. In 2011, fire leveled several buildings, including the Pavillion and Sip N’ Twirl. In 2015, a fire destroyed several buildings in Cherry Grove, including the Grove Hotel and a length of boardwalk.
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Like Fire Island, Rehoboth Beach attracts LGBTQ+ visitors and residents. Since the ’70s, Rehoboth Beach has been a vacation destination for members of the LGBTQ+ community. The city has its own LGBTQ+ community center, Camp Rehoboth, which was established in 1991 and offers events, resources and training year-round. Also like Fire Island, Rehoboth Beach is facing erosion and rising sea levels. An August 2016 report by the Environmental Protection Agency reveals the Delaware coast is rising due to sea levels. The EPA estimates the sea levels will increase in Delaware from 16 inches to 4 feet in the next century. With this rise in sea levels and higher temperatures comes the potential for disaster to infrastructure, the loss of wetlands, the flooding of agricultural lands with saltwater and even the risk of more insect-carried diseases.
Palm Springs, California
On the other side of the country, Palm Springs is a queer oasis in the Californian desert. The first U.S. city to have an all-LGBTQ+ city council, Palm Springs is home to a large population of LGBTQ+ residents and attracts visitors year-round. However, as the earth gets warmer, so does Palm Springs. A 2022 “Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment” states that warmer temperatures and drought conditions will extend the annual fire season. More fires could lead to disastrous air quality and destruction of homes and infrastructure.
The longer warm season changes the behaviors of animals, insects, and rodents, leading to longer transmission windows for illnesses like Lyme disease and West Nile virus. Also, flood areas of the city are expected to increase as climate change continues.
For Palm Springs, rising temperatures pose one of the most serious issues. The report projects that days of extreme heat (107.1 degrees or higher) will increase significantly in the next 75 years. Right now, Palm Springs experiences about four days of extreme heat a year. That number is expected to rise to 50 by 2099.
The City of Palm Springs, which commissioned the report, acknowledges that LGBTQ+ people, along with those with mobility issues, heightened exposure, and those experiencing social isolation, are disproportionately affected by climate change.
Key West, Florida
350 miles of coral reef is the backbone of Key West, long a destination for LGBTQ+ visitors. Those coral reefs are suffering the effects of climate change as well. Between rising levels of coral-killing diseases, high oceanic temperatures and pollution runoff, NOAA considers the Key West reefs to be impaired.
Sea levels are also expected to rise in Key West, threatening homes, businesses and infrastructure. A conservative estimate puts sea levels at 7 inches higher by the end of the century, but the area is facing a much more catastrophic rise.
There is hope for a brighter future for this beloved part of the Sunshine State. Together, the Nature Conservancy, NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program, and the U.S. Department of Commerce have created an action plan to combat the effects of climate change and strengthen the health of the reefs.
San Francisco, California
Climate change and aging infrastructure are leading to unprecedented flooding in this queer haven. In January 2023, severe rainfalls led to flooding in the Bay Area, even knocking San Francisco’s Great Highway out of commission. This January, history repeated itself as the Bay Area was rocked with a winter storm, which flooded areas, washed out roads and felled trees.
The “San Francisco Bay Area Precipitation in a Warmer World” report created by Pathways Climate Institute and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory states, “recent scientific research highlights that today’s flood events are a mere preview of what is to come as the climate continues to warm, with an increased likelihood of potential future California megafloods.” Extratropical cyclones and atmospheric rivers are the weather systems causing much of the severe flooding issues, combined with an infrastructure that is unable to adapt to the changing climate. “Our infrastructure is not designed for these big storms,” said Khris May, founder of Pathways Climate Institute, “ and we’re never going to really be able to design it to handle them.”
New Orleans, Louisiana
4.7% of New Orleans’ population identifies as LGBTQ+ and the Crescent City is a popular destination for LGBTQ+ visitors. Already largely below or at sea level, New Orleans is on the frontlines of severe and changing weather conditions.
According to a Natural Resources Defense Council report, New Orleans is at high risk for rising sea levels, an increase in flooding and frequent and intense storms. Sea levels are expected to rise between one and 4 feet in the next century, which could bring about catastrophic damage to the city and a loss of vital wetlands.
After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans has been working to prevent similar types of damage, including building more storm-resistant infrastructure, reducing the number of hazardous structures that could cause more damage in the event of flooding and “creating a more sustainable and environmentally conscious New Orleans.”
Dallas, Texas
When you think of Texas, you likely think of heat. While rising temperatures are certainly an issue for Texas, the deep freezes brought on by climate change are also a cause for alarm. The need for more air conditioning in the summer and heat to combat increasingly freezing winter temperatures has overworked Texas’ electric grid to the point of power outages, both enforced and unintentional.
This blue dot in the Lone Star State has a robust LGBTQ+ community and queer neighborhoods that are at risk of extreme weather and excess pollution. According to information gathered from Climate Trace, the Dallas-Fort Worth area is one of the world’s biggest producers of greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these gasses and pollutants are associated with “diminished lung function, increased hospital admissions and emergency room visits for asthma and increases in premature deaths.”
New York, New York
There’s a new reason why New York is the city that doesn’t sleep – it’s too hot. Extreme heat has been increasing in New York City, where over 750,000 LGBTQ+ people reside. The Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice anticipates the number of days with temperatures of 90 degrees and above to triple in the next 25 years. This adversely affects all of New York, but in particular, vulnerable populations like older adults and the unhoused. Studies show that at least 40% of homeless youth in New York identify as LGBTQ+.
Manhattan is an island and has already seen sea levels rise a foot in the last century. Estimates could see an additional rise of six feet in the next century, opening up low-lying areas to damaging coastal surge flooding.
Extreme rainfall is also in New York’s future, with an anticipated rise of 25% more rainfall by 2124. In 2021, New York saw floodwaters due to excess rainfall, causing the deaths of at least 13 individuals.
The city is currently working to combat the effects of climate change in multiple ways, from closing disparities through environmental and climate justice, moving to clean energy by 2040 and investing in green infrastructure systems and jobs.
While there are hopeful solutions to combat climate change in many of these cities, it’s impossible not to acknowledge the ferocity of which climate change has stressed these municipalities and the people who live there. Climate change is an LGBTQ+ issue, just as it is for all humans.