As climate change impacts the planet through hurricanes, rising water levels, floods and more, it is also impacting the way investors manage and mitigate risk in real estate investments. For specific insights on how climate change is impacting real estate investments, MarketCurrents recently spoke with Delegate Advisors Managing Partner Andy Hart.
“Climate change is now an active part of our discussions with clients,” explains Hart. “I think there is interest in divestments from certain properties before there is a tangible shift in attitudes on climate change.”
This is especially true throughout many areas of the U.S. where the future impact of climate change is already affecting property values. For example, the First Street Foundation, a New York-based nonprofit that looks at the impact of rising water levels and flooding, recently reported that nearly 20 coastal cities across the country have already seen property value eroded due to the impact of climate change.
Furthermore, a report from the Urban Land Institute stated that institutional investors and wealthy property owners must take risks from climate change into account or risk a decline in the value of their assets as the market reallocates capital to locations less prone to the impacts of climate change over the long term.