Infrastructure Resilience

Context

Networked infrastructure systems – which are crucial to economies and societies – represent particular points of vulnerability to climate change. LMICs are exposed to a range of climate hazards, and the infrastructure is often inadequate or has deteriorated, making it particularly vulnerable to climate impacts. These impacts have acute effects on national economies and human development, by preventing access to basic services and disrupting economic activity. The cost of reconstruction is a public finance burden and perceived climate risks deter investors.

Adapting to climate change has the benefit of avoiding or reducing damage. To quantify the adaptation that is needed and its benefits requires projections of climate impact. We need methods that can explore a wide range of possible future conditions, including many different possible extreme events. Risk analysis provides such a framework. It involves systematic analysis of the distribution of possible climate hazards, and maps and quantifies levels of exposure and vulnerability which can be compared with the costs of adaptation. It can be wrapped in a framework of uncertainty analysis to make it more relevant to real situations.

Research Questions

1. What are the climate risks to energy and transport systems at national and global scales?

2. What are the macro-economic impacts of climate related damage and disruption to infrastructure systems?

3. What are the patterns of (in)accessibility to infrastructure for disadvantaged communities, and how can infrastructure resilience be prioritized to address GESI?

4. How can physical climate risk analysis inform national infrastructure investment prioritization?