As climate disasters worsen, resilience — a community's ability to recover from adversity — plays a growing role in determining where people live and invest.
Michael J. Coren, Naema Ahmed and Kevin Crowe report for The Washington Post.
In short:
- AlphaGeo has developed tools to evaluate U.S. cities’ climate risks, including flooding, wildfire and extreme heat, alongside resilience factors like infrastructure and governance.
- Examples if highly-resilient cities include Norfolk, Virginia, tackling sea-level rise with extensive flood defenses, and Placer County, California, investing in wildfire prevention through community programs.
- Social cohesion and governance decisions, such as investing in long-term protections, are critical to enhancing resilience.
Key quote:
“Calculating the risk is easy. Managing the risk is the hard part.”
— Lauren Sorkin, co-founder of the Resilient Cities Network.
Why this matters:
Climate resilience influences home values, insurance and quality of life. Cities with robust governance and adaptive infrastructure can mitigate risks and thrive, offering a roadmap for living in a hotter, riskier future.
Be sure to read: Hope, unity, and resilience guide climate scientist’s message post-election
