SEAS assistant professor Derek Van Berkel was interviewed by NBC in a story about the Great Lakes region as a potential haven for climate migrants. The Great Lakes is one of the regions that have “climate amenities” such as abundant freshwater and will be isolated from the effects of sea level rise. 

Van Berkel appears at the 5:47 mark, where he describes how the region can prepare for a potential influx of climate migrants. Van Berkel outlines questions that he and other researchers are posing to communities to understand where development needs to take place and where investments in green space should occur. He explains that cities will also need to tackle land use policies, their relationships with the private sector, fossil fuel consumption, and social services legislation. Van Berkel also describes how several cities in Michigan have been losing population and tax base, but now are faced with making their cities more livable in a way that's attractive to migrants.