The Know Daily - Monday 17 August 2026

_{Read in 4m 51s ∙ Listening to Mumford & Sons ∙}

Back by popular demand, here are some more incredible facts about the natural world… Finding out that prairie dogs kiss to say hello has made our Monday morning a million times better 🥹

🏡 Climate gentrification

Could the next property hotspot be somewhere a little cooler? Research suggests climate change is starting to influence where people want to live.

So, what is climate gentrification?
We’re used to thinking of gentrification as wealthier people moving into cheaper neighbourhoods and pushing up house prices (otherwise known as Gail’s effect). Climate gentrification is a newer twist: as weather events change where people want to live, homes in safer or more comfortable areas can become more desirable – and more expensive. City centres have higher house prices, but they’re also more built-up and densely populated, meaning they can become a lot hotter during heatwaves. Greener, less crowded neighbourhoods on the outskirts can offer cooler temperatures and more space, making them increasingly attractive as the climate warms.

Where is this happening?
It’s being seen more across Europe, Africa and America. A recent study of Barcelona found that all 36 surrounding municipalities could face climate gentrification as people seek areas away from the city centre. Meanwhile, research across 221 cities in Africa found that areas with climate-adaptation measures had a 41% higher gentrification index, suggesting that efforts to make neighbourhoods greener and more resilient can also make them more expensive. In the US, Miami is one of the clearest examples, where higher-elevation neighbourhoods have attracted wealthier buyers and developers, putting pressure on historically lower-income communities living there.

What’s the impact?
Whilst more resilient neighbourhoods can be a real benefit as the climate changes, the concern is who gets to benefit from those improvements. If house prices and rents rise, people who have lived in an area for years may find themselves priced out, while wealthier newcomers are better placed to take advantage of the improvements. It can also make it harder for lower-income residents to move to safer areas in the first place, creating a situation where the people most vulnerable to climate change have the fewest options for finding relief from it. 

Are governments doing anything about it?
Some governments are beginning to address the problem through a mix of climate adaptation and housing measures. The basic idea is to make neighbourhoods safer while protecting existing residents from being priced out through offering affordable housing, tenant protections and measures to limit displacement. For example, in Boston, a new anti-displacement plan explicitly recognises that climate change and efforts to adapt to it can affect property markets, while Miami’s climate strategy considers housing affordability alongside flood and heat resilience.

And what about the UK?
There isn’t much evidence yet of climate gentrification being driven by heat in the UK. But the issue could become more relevant as temperatures rise: 1 million London homes are considered at high risk of overheating, and the capital has launched its first heat plan to make homes and neighbourhoods more resilient. So, while we’re not yet seeing people being priced out of hotter parts of British cities in favour of cooler ones, that could become a more relevant housing question as heatwaves become more frequent.

💰 Money Monday: Secondhand electric car leasing is taking off as more UK drivers look for ways to cut the cost of driving.

• The bigger story: The number of used EVs being leased through British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association members has risen 170% in the past year, as more electric cars enter the secondhand market and petrol prices rise. Used EV salary-sacrifice leasing has increased five times, while personal contract hire for used electric cars has risen sixfold. The growing supply of secondhand EVs is also giving drivers more choice without the upfront cost of buying a new electric car.

📱 France’s top court has blocked a bill that would have banned social media for under-15s, saying it disproportionately infringed upon freedom of expression.

🐶 The World’s Ugliest Dog contest crowned its 50th winner yesterday. The annual event is designed to promote adoptions… and we wish we could take the lot!

🍻 Pubs just got more protection from closing down and being turned into homes or offices under new planning rules in England.

🥉 The first British woman to win an individual marathon medal at the European Championships has taken home the bronze .

✈️ Europe’s busiest airport used to be London Heathrow, but new figures have shown it’s been overtaken by this one.

🔗 Last week’s most clicked: A method for calmer workday mornings, the best cities for Gen Z and snaps of the solar eclipse.

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