{
  "id": 18688299,
  "title": "The American Dream Wasn’t Built for Climate Change",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/07/the-american-dream-wasnt-built-for-climate-change-18688299",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-11-07T10:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Wired",
    "slug": "wired",
    "url": "https://www.wired.com/story/the-american-dream-wasnt-built-for-climate-change/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The American Dream, once considered a symbol of prosperity and opportunity, now faces a looming threat from climate change. Isley and her girlfriend Jamie, who moved from Philadelphia to Asheville, North Carolina, found themselves in a fortunate situation when Hurricane Helene hit. While their home suffered flooding, some neighbors lost their entire houses to the storm. This experience has prompted many to question the viability of homeownership as a path to financial security in the face of increasingly frequent and severe weather events.\n\nA recent report by First Street projected that climate risks could cause a loss of nearly $1.5 trillion in American home values by 2055. Rebecca Elliott, a sociologist, argues that the American dream of homeownership may become a nightmare for some individuals. A survey by Data for Progress found that 58% of likely U.S. voters believe that climate change will hinder their ability to achieve the American Dream within the next 20 years, with 42% of Republicans sharing this concern.\n\nThe paradox is that fossil fuels have long been marketed as the key to the American way of life. Oil and gas companies have long promoted their products as essential for comfort and prosperity, a message that has been repeated by politicians and industry executives to resist climate action. The Biden administration's recent decision to scrap regulations aimed at reducing car emissions has been framed as a way to \"restore the American Dream,\" but this narrative is being undermined by the very forces it seeks to protect.\n\nThe reality is that greenhouse gas emissions from burning coal, oil, and gas are creating a new era of uncertainty and insecurity. Scientific reports warn that climate change threatens the quality of life for communities across the United States, disrupting livelihoods and cultural traditions. As such, Americans must decide whether to reimagine what the American Dream means and abandon its fossil-fueled version of prosperity, or risk having climate change dismantle it entirely.",
  "summary": "Owning a home is billed as a way to build wealth, but amid climate-related disasters, for many, it's beginning to feel like a trap.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}