One study predicts that half of US cities will become “ghost towns” by 2100.

A recent study by researchers from University of Illinois, in Chicago, predicts that by 2100, nearly half of the nearly 30,000 cities in the United States will become “ghost towns.” This trend over the last 20 years suggests that population declines of 12% to 23% of the current population of these places present unprecedented challenges.

The impact of this depopulation is the loss of basic services such as transport, clean water, electricity and internet connectivity. Additionally, the reduction in tax base will directly affect the basic services of cities.

Population displacement can bring additional challenges by depleting essential resources in areas that lose people, further complicating their situation. While migration can play an important role, unless there is a paradigm shift away from planning based solely on growth, challenges in resource distribution will continue, the report suggests.

Studies show that cities with the lowest median income are located in the Northeast and Midwest America They are more likely to experience population loss over time compared to the western and southern parts of the country. It is predicted that Hawaii And this DC They will not suffer any loss to the citizens.

New York Post He highlighted that this phenomenon is seen not only in small towns but also in major metropolitan centers. Detroit, Cleveland And St. Louis, albeit at a moderate or slow pace. As those areas face this decline, nearby “suburbs and suburban” cities are attracting residents.

This pattern has also been recorded in southern metropolitan centres Columbus, Georgia; Birmingham, Alabama And Memphis, Tennessee. At the same time, after the epidemic COVID-19Residents migrated from traditional democracies such as California And NY For Republican states Sun BeltDemand lower living costs and lower taxes.

On the other hand, a new study based on five climate scenarios Shared Socio Economic Pathways (SSPs)Established by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment, it is predicted that 40% of urban population. America May develop by 2100. Cities assessed as developing include: NY, Angels, Atlanta, Houston Even more.

Moving away from growth-based planning, the researchers emphasized the need to sustainably maintain and provide infrastructure for all these cities. Conversely, large cities are less likely to depopulate than small towns in remote rural areas.

Although population trends for the next 76 years are still uncertain, the IPCC It has made it clear that we are in a critical window and that it is rapidly closing to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change on society. The future of population America With ghost towns as a possible landscape on the horizon of 2100, it seems that drastic change is on the way.