Climate-Resilient Infrastructure: Building for a Changing World
This summer season has brought a series of extreme weather events to countries around the world. From unprecedented heat waves across Europe and North America to extreme flooding in China and Australia, it is clear that the catastrophic effects of climate change are being felt on a massive scale. As our surrounding environments change rapidly, adaptation to these climate events becomes vital. This is where climate resilient infrastructure is important; it prepares and adapts future infrastructure to the changing climate while also protecting against disruptions caused by these extreme climate conditions. With climate disasters becoming the norm, we can expect to see a global influx of infrastructure projects specifically aimed at withstanding climate change and its effects on communities around the world.
Failing Transportation
The transportation sector is expected to be massively impacted by the effects of climate change. Rising sea levels are expected to disrupt port operations and damage coastal roadways and bridges, while high temperatures are currently melting roadways, airport tarmacs and damaging rail lines. Developing new infrastructure standards will require uniformity so that they may be applied consistently, but will also require an assessment of the regional specific issues that may be present.
The United Kingdom in particular is having to consider the effects of extreme weather in both the summer and winter, with rail lines expanding and contracting as the temperature fluctuates between the two extremes. The extreme difference in temperatures means the U.K. cannot redesign its railway infrastructure to mimic countries which are used to temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius, but must create new solutions to see that its railways do not fully collapse.
Increased Energy Use
The energy sector is also expected to come under increased stress as climate extremes become more common. Demand for cooling is likely to increase dramatically as people and industries try to cope with the rising temperatures, leading to greater energy consumption. Without renewable energy sources, this increased consumption will require the continued use of fossil fuels in order to meet demand and see that sectors such as healthcare and transportation can continue to operate effectively.
Changes in precipitation patterns are also expected to heavily disrupt the energy sector. With increased droughts, hydropower can no longer operate effectively. Extreme floods would also impact energy production and distribution as the current infrastructure is damaged due to these fluctuating extremes. When building energy systems to withstand these natural events, we now have to consider “worst case scenarios” in order to ensure that these sectors can endure harsh weather conditions. Again, climate disasters have a myriad of detrimental impacts, including the energy that powers our everyday lives.
Creating Climate Resilient Infrastructure
Designing and implementing infrastructure that is resilient in the face of climate change will take increased time and costs. However, global collaboration and appropriate construction can see that infrastructure in vital sectors can withstand disruptions caused by extreme weather events. Organizations such as the U.S. Partnership for Energy Sector Climate Resilience and the European Union’s Critical Infrastructure Warning Information Network are currently working to understand and address shared risks posed by climate change. With continued cooperation and increased funding, the issues posed on critical infrastructure in response to climate change can be mitigated and corrected.
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