Expecting Climate Migration – to Green Bay!

May 26, 2022 | Signals to Watch

Steve McCarthy, Executive Director, Envision
Lynn Gerlach, Communication Consultant, Envision

The United States is in the early stages of a great, decades-long transformation. Across the US, nearly half our entire population will likely experience a decline in the environment: prolonged droughts, increasing temperatures, more wildfires, increased flooding due to rising sea levels, more intense hurricanes, pressures on agriculture, and species declines, to name a few. Climate Change Will Force a New American Migration — ProPublica

In the Greater Green Bay Area, however, the scenario might be substantially different. Current models suggest that Wisconsin and the Great Lakes region will experience a more moderate, possibly even positive impact, such as an extension of the growing season. Why? It’s largely about the water! Our proximity to the Great Lakes can moderate climate impact, and sustainable access to water will be key to maintaining population levels and quality of life. As all of humanity adapts to the changing climate – with differing levels of success – we might find that the Greater Green Bay area is physically positioned to adapt well, even thrive in the face of climate change. New Climate Maps Show a Transformed United States | ProPublica

What does this mean for the future of Green Bay? There’s a good chance people currently living in increasingly distressed parts of the country, such as the desert southwest, will migrate to the Upper Midwest for a safer, more temperate climate and a stable life. With its abundant natural resources and committed community leaders, Green Bay’s star is on the rise. Envision Greater Green Bay and many of the growing number of local leaders trained in strategic foresight are watching now for signals about how climate migration will affect our growth plans. 

A Growing Energy In Northeast Wisconsin: Latinx/Hispanic Youth On The Horizon

Sep 6, 2021 | Envision Success Stories

by Dr. Gratzia Villarroel, Associate Professor of Political Science St. Norbert College and Envision board member

*In this article we use the gender-neutral Latinx next to the term Hispanic to acknowledge the growing use of this term by younger, US-born, bilingual, or predominantly English-speaking Hispanics, who are also likely to be more progressive and college-educated. Latinx has received criticisms from all sides of the political spectrum and is still only used by a small percentage of the Hispanic population. The more common names are either Hispanic which typically includes Spaniards as it is based on the use of the Spanish language and Latino which typically refers to people from Latin America.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In 2019 at Paul Demuth’s suggestions, I had the opportunity to participate in Garry Golden’s Foresight Analysis Workshop sponsored by the Bay Area Community Council (today Envision Greater Green Bay). The workshop was instrumental in redefining how I viewed the experience of the Latinx/Hispanic population in Northeast Wisconsin. While I already knew that the population was growing and that education was important, after completing the workshop, I realized just how important educational attainment is not just for Latinx/Hispanics but for Northeast Wisconsin and the nation.

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