Infrastructure Damage

How does Climate Change Pose a Risk to Infrastructure?

Infrastructure is significantly threatened by climate change, which can result in architectural damage and economic implications. Our buildings, bridges, roads, etc. are threatened by:

• Rising sea levels
• Intensified storms
• Increase in extreme weather events

These can contribute all to the deterioration of critical infrastructure.

In order to accurately calculate damage to infrastructure, it’s valuable to consider both physical damage and impacts as well as indirect economic impacts to relevant communities that are affected. Using this approach, we can develop cost-effective strategies to build infrastructure that is sustainable and climate resilient, as well as reducing potential future damages.

Damage to the Built Environment, the Economy, and Environmental Justice/Equity

Damage to roads, bridges, ports, and utilities are some of quantifiable impacts on infrastructure. Additionally, economic losses and repair costs increase due to floods and storms due to climate change and change in precipitation patterns. This in turn can negatively impact transportation networks and supply chains. "The built environment includes structures and systems that provide places for people to live, work, and play. It includes buildings, roads, bridges, parks, streets, and systems that provide transportation, water, power, and more. These structures and systems exist in nearly all places where people live and work, but tend to be most concentrated in metropolitan areas. About 85% of Americans live in metropolitan areas, and that number is projected to grow over the next 100 years."(EPA) The top climate impacts on the Built Environment include:

• Damaged or stressed infrastructure
• Impacts on the production and distribution of services
• Threats to quality of life and human health

Additionally, since urban areas are where the majority of economic growth occurs, it's important to keep them viable for goods and service consumption. Additionally electrical, transportation, and other utilities are very valuable for peoples' health and livelihood in these areas.

Some groups of people are also more at risk for health issues, like younger and older populations, so it's important to keep them in mind when considering positive infrastructure implementation. As our planet grows warmer, we need to keep them cool to counteract the Urban Heat Island Effect. This also is valuable when considering particulate mater and pollutants. Another factor to consider is how climate change can affect food availability in urban areas. Low income households can have issues with this.

SDG Impacts

Additionally, we can observe the different quantifiable impacts of the 7 different sustainable development goals (Hunger, Health, Water, Energy, Responsible Consumption & Production, Biodiversity (water), and Biodiversity (land) in this particular order, corresponding with the tables below).

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Resources

EPA IPCC