The climate refuge as grounds for adaptation: Promises and pitfalls in an early adopter city, Worcester, MA

The concept of the climate refuge has been widely contested, with many arguing that it does more harm than good. A case study of Worcester, Massachusetts, an early adopter of the climate refuge label, evaluates this assumption. Interviews with key informants in city government, community-based organizations, and non-profits and analysis of planning documents reveal that the concept of the climate refuge can serve as a premise for adaptation. This has not been rolled out institutionally, but community-led initiatives point the way toward operating at the nexus of adaptation and integration to establish inclusionary adaptation. This builds on a growing recognition in policy circles of the potential to build bridges between climate migration and immigrant integration. Still, this emerging version of the refuge contends with persistent challenges. As the city navigates the transition from shrinking to growing, it grapples with dominant growth politics which obstruct opportunities for inclusive, sustainable development. Further, relying on community-led efforts risks overburdening community organizations while absolving multiple levels of government. Situated at the nexus of contemporary urban challenges, the climate refuge city offers a proving ground for developing the integrated responses that urban governance in an era of intersecting crises demands. • The climate refuge concept can serve as a premise for adaptation rather than escape • Community-led initiatives show synergies between adaptation and integration, promising avenues for climate refuge cities • Climate refuge cities face challenges from growth machine politics and over-reliance on community responsibility