Seven Strategies for Climate-resilient Infrastructure

Climate-resilient communities and businesses start by building resilience in infrastructures such as roads, bridges, and water treatment facilities. These infrastructures are designed and expected to provide service for many decades.

Each year, infrastructures face increasing stress from population growth and climate change, and time is essential when improving the resilience of the world’s infrastructures, the report says.

Between 2015-2030, the world needs to invest US$90 trillion. Infrastructure investment is particularly urgent in rapidly growing cities in developing countries as the bulk of new infrastructure will be built in these countries.  These countries are facing many challenges – addressing the growing threats of climate change and rapid urbanisation while addressing poverty and building their economies.

Developed economies also need to build a resilient infrastructure. For instance, damages from the three hurricanes that hit the US alone – Hurricanes Harvey, Maria, and Irma have caused the US $265 billion in infrastructure damages.

The report says that investing in resilient infrastructures can increase the ability of cities and communities to bounce back and recover quickly from extreme events, protecting economic gains, public health and security.

Building resilient infrastructures involves many players – policymakers, planners, investors, industry representatives, engineers, disaster response professionals, etc.

These seven strategies were extracted from leaders’ work across many sectors and disciplines.  The report says these strategies “are fundamental concepts that should drive the design, funding, and building of climate-resilient infrastructure.

If broadly applied, it can produce robust and sustainable infrastructure, more cost-effective investments, and reliable services to our growing cities and populations.”

To read the whole report, click the link below: