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Research Article

The Climate-Gentrification" Mechanism: A Conceptual Model for Urban Inequality and Demographic Shifts

Deborah Garba

Faculty of Environmental Technology, Department of Estate Management and Valuation, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Bauchi state, Nigeria

Sani Inusa Milala

Faculty of technology management and Business, Department of Real Estate and Facilities Management, Universiti tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Johor Malaysia

Shuaibu H. Manga

Department of Estate Management Federal Polytechnic Mubi, Adamawa State, Nigeria

Abubakar Mohammed Garba

Faculty of Environmental Technology, Department of Estate Management and Valuation, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Bauchi state, Nigeria

Received: 03 March 2026 | Accepted: 19 March 2026 | Published: 23 March 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21201180 | Pages: 1-17 | Volume: 2 | Issue: 2

Abstract

Climate change poses unprecedented risks to urban real estate markets, yet the mechanisms through which environmental hazards translate into social and economic inequality remain inadequately theorized. Existing research has documented the physical impacts of climate change on property values and investment behavior, but limited attention has been given to the distributional consequences of these dynamics and their role in driving gentrification and displacement. This conceptual paper addresses this gap by developing a comprehensive framework for understanding the "climate-gentrification" mechanism as a distinct pathway through which climate change exacerbates urban inequality and reshapes demographic patterns in cities globally. The study employs a conceptual research methodology, drawing on a systematic review and synthesis of theoretical and empirical literature from real estate economics, urban geography, environmental studies, and finance. The analysis reveals that climate risks are transmitted through four interconnected stages: climate hazards, market responses, policy interventions, and demographic outcomes, with feedback loops that create self-reinforcing cycles of inequality. The findings demonstrate that financial mechanisms, including property value adjustments, insurance premium increases, and credit restrictions, interact with policy responses such as adaptation investments and regulatory changes to produce uneven outcomes across urban populations. The conceptual framework identifies adaptation investments as potentially double-edged, capable of both protecting communities and accelerating gentrification depending on their design and implementation. The study concludes that addressing climate gentrification requires integrated policy approaches that coordinate climate adaptation with housing and anti-displacement strategies, alongside financial regulations that explicitly consider distributional consequences. This paper contributes to emerging scholarship on climate justice and urban resilience by providing a theoretical foundation for empirical investigation and practical guidance for policymakers seeking to promote equitable outcomes in an era of accelerating environmental change.

Keywords

Climate gentrification; Climate change; Real estate markets; Urban inequality; Demographic shifts, Property values; Climate risk; Green finance; Urban resilience.

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