The history of climate change in the United States is extensive and expository into the nature of the crisis. 

In 1973, the Report to the President released a comprehensive analysis to former President Jimmy Carter on the climate crisis transitioning into the twenty-first century. In particular, the account detailed that climate change is an inevitable problem for the modern world. However, Carter promoted environmental policies to mitigate the climate crisis as opposed to proposing an extensive solution to the problem. Furthermore, a comprehensive solution was proposed under the administration of former President Bill Clinton. In 1997, Clinton’s administration committed the United States to the United Nations’ Kyoto Protocol, and The Paris Agreement under the administration of President Joe Biden in 2021.

In both climate agreements, the United States is required to reduce carbon emissions and advocate for environmental legislation that prevents the amplification of climate change. However, paraphrased from the World Resources Institute, the development of the climate agreements hasn’t prevented other countries–China and India–from releasing carbon emissions at historical rates. Furthermore, Director of Climate Data at the World Resource Institute (WRI) Johannes Friedrich said, “The top three GHG emitters— China, the United States and India—contribute 42.6% total emissions, while the bottom 100 countries only account for only 2.9%.”

Moreover, the amplification of carbon emissions from other countries–regardless of the climate agreements–leads to escalation of climate change across the world, including the United States. 

The compounding progression of climate change has unprecedented consequences on the United States. In particular, the unprecedented consequence is the heightening of climate migration across the United States, especially Minnesota.

The development of climate migration is an existential future for the international community and the United States. 

According to the International Organization of Migration, climate migration is defined as the temporary or permanent movement of a person or group of persons due to extreme or progressive climate change.

The predominance of climate migration is currently occurring on an international scale. According to The New York Times, in 2023, 4 million individuals across the world migrated due to environmental and climate-oriented reasons.

Moreover, the progression of climate change is forcing a climatic migration across the United States. According to the White House, 216 million Americans are going to migrate due to the climate crisis by 2050. Moreover, the Biden-Harris Administration said, “Research estimates more than 216 million people could migrate within their countries as a result of climate change by 2050.” The development of climate migration is a central factor to the configuration of the United States in the future.

The development of climate migration across the United States is going to lead to the reconfiguration of the demographic landscape.

According to Jake Bittle’s The Great Displacement: Climate Change and the Next American Generation, Americans are going to migrate and develop metropolitan areas in northern cities.

In particular, this emphasizes the status of Minnesota as a climate haven. Duluth is going to develop into a metropolitan location for climate migrants.

The progression of the climate crisis has isolated Duluth as the epicenter of climate migration. 

In 2019, Jesse Keenan–associate Professor and social scientist at Harvard University–declared that Duluth is climate-proof. Duluth News Tribune journalist Jimmy Lavarian said, “Dr. Jesse Keenan thinks it’s time Duluth brands itself, again, as a destination for people seeking cooler temperatures in a warming world–climate refugees or climigrants.”

The evidence behind Keenan’s assertion about Duluth is centered around the ecological powerhouse of Lake Superior. In particular, Lake Superior dictates the biome for shoreline cities, especially Duluth. The Washington Post journalist Jim Duncan said, “Finally, no story on lake effect should leave out the following wonderful irony. Just as clouds and snow hover menacingly during the cold season, the opposite effect manifests during the summer. The cool waters of the Great Lakes work to stabilize the overlying warm air, so when there is wind coming off the Lakes it often encourages more blue skies and sunshine.” 

According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the growth of the climate crisis has impacted the stretch of Lake Superior’s dominance over shoreline cities. Due to this,the average temperature and water levels are heightening at historical rates. However, paraphrased from the National Climate Assessment, the predominant control of Lake Superior over the biome of shoreline cities is not deteriorating with the growth of climate change; Duluth would correspondingly remain untouched by the climate crisis. Furthermore, the fundamental position of Duluth during the climate crisis is a haven for climate migrants throughout the United States. 

Climate migrants are transitioning to the biome of Duluth to escape the amenities of climate change across the United States. According to The New York Times, 2,094 new residents per year migrate to Duluth from across the United States due to the development of the climate crisis. In particular, Mayor of Duluth Emily Larson has restructured the economic development to be climate neutral. Furthermore, Duluth’s climate neutral economy perpetuates the growth of climate migration. 

The progressive measures of Duluth’s climate-oriented economic development have been perceived by OHS teachers. STEM Coordinator for Owatonna Public Schools Dr. Thomas Maegher said, “Minnesota is a conjunction of multiple climate patterns. Minnesota being in the heart of North America, we are not going to see drastic changes.” However, he also expressed disagreement with the emphasis on Duluth as a climate haven. Dr. Maegher said, “I could see where they market [Duluth]… as a haven. But to create a haven is great except what do we do to remedy all the others that are not experiencing stability.”  

The perspective of OHS teachers provides a perspective concerning the fundamental nature of Duluth, but also a level of disagreement with the excessive marketing of Duluth as to the growth of the climate crisis.

The existence of Duluth is a haven for climate migrants escaping the desolation of the climate crisis across the United States. Furthermore, Duluth has reoriented climate policies to promote climate migration to Duluth. However, Duluth’s intentional economic policies for climate migration is not the only internal development. The community of Duluth is also preparing and promoting climate migration.

The community of Duluth has prepared and promoted climate migration through the prominence of organizations.

Duluth is centered around the organization Ecolibrium3. The mission of the organization is to develop climate neutral programs. As to the development of climate neutral programs, the organization has established initiatives for climate-oriented transportation and disincentivizing the implementation of unrenewable resources in the economic development of housing.

Ecolibrium3 has provided other non-program based initiatives to progress climate migration in Duluth. Furthermore, the organization has committed to providing equitable access to climate-resources for disadvantaged communities and climate migrants in Duluth. In both particular cases, the presence of Ecolibrium provides the fundamental resource and climate neutral programs that prepare and promote climate migration to Duluth.

The relationship between the development of climate migration and the location of Duluth is essential to understand. However, the perspective of incoming residents is also important. At the OHS, students are committing to the University of Minnesota-Duluth; the students are also considered incoming residents to Duluth. In particular, senior Madeline Walerius was interviewed about the disposition of Duluth. She said, “I didn’t know that Duluth was a climate prospect. The biggest decision [to go to the University of Minnesota-Duluth] was the campus.”