Should prospective homeowners consider climate risks when picking a location?

Understanding climate risks is fundamental to anticipating what living in a new place will be like, for health, financial and safety reasons. For example, hotter summers might mean increased cooling costs and less time outdoors, while extreme events like heatwaves or cold snaps might strain electrical grids and put vulnerable residents especially at risk. While a particular property might be safe from flood risk, surrounding roads might become impassable during a storm. Homebuyers should understand their exposure to climate change to make an informed decision about where to buy, how to protect themselves, and what their local government is doing to reduce their risks.