Climate Adaptation Strategy – Building and Investing in Resilience Samples

2020 has been a remarkable year for everyone, not only because of the pandemic but also because of the many extreme events worldwide.  

Climate scientists warn that extreme natural events will continue to increase significantly over time.

As always, the poor and developing countries suffer the most devastation and are slower to recover than their developed and wealthier counterparts due to their low capacities and resources.

The United Nations, through the Paris Agreement in 2015, has been pushing for countries to make plans to reduce their carbon emissions and adapt to climate change effects through their nationally determined contributions (NDCs).

A 2021 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report says that climate adaptation is now widely embedded into the policies and planning worldwide but with differences in the instruments and quality of engagement used.

Thankfully, integrating climate change into policies does not remain at the national level but trickles down into local governments and councils.

In New Zealand, the government requires local councils to prepare a 10-year long-term plan (LTP) every three years. The LTPs include the intended level of services, such as safe drinking water, secure and reliable roads, libraries, etc., acceptable to the community, and estimated costs to ensure sustainability.

Most councils acknowledged their limited understanding of the risks of natural hazards and climate change on their infrastructure, including adapting to climate change and even responding to threats. Thus, they deferred actions to address climate change and its effects.

Some councils, like Nelson City, which has experienced coastal erosion and infrastructure damage, have developed an infrastructure strategy that provides solutions for each specific infrastructure challenge it will face.

The Buller District has assessed its infrastructure resilience against natural hazards and worked with other councils to form its climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. At the same time, growth councils can include climate change effects in designing new infrastructure and upgrading existing ones.

The Colorado Department of Transportation also offers an excellent example of how the state has integrated and invested in its transport infrastructure resilience.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) established a Risk and Resilience program to keep its roads open and functional during unexpected events and challenges. This program also applies to the design and maintenance of its assets, such as bridges, to withstand catastrophic and rare events.

Resilience became the CDOT’s priority when a 2013 flooding event caused severe damages to its roadway networks and bridges, which amounted to $700 million in repairs and impacted businesses and the public.

Learning from this experience, the CDOT began to assess its risks, large and small, to become better equipped and prepared for future extreme events, which are expected to become more frequent and intense due to climate change.

To learn about CDOT’s resilience program and how they are investing in their resiliency, click the link below:

PHOTO CREDIT: A Colorado state welcome sign by ErgoSum88 – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3541951