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Climate resilient infrastructure has been hailed as one of the most effective ways to adapt to climate related disasters, especially in developing countries where the impacts are felt disproportionately, according to a newly published report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). USD 6.9 tn in investments for climate-resilient infrastructure is needed globally if countries were to achieve their climate goals, the report found, adding that governments are currently failing to factor in the impact of climate shocks in its planning and decision making.
What is climate resilient infrastructure? The climate resilience of infrastructure is measured by how well it endures and recovers from the effects of climate change, according to an MIT explainer. Infrastructure must be resilient to all types of climate risks whether chronic or as a shock, according to Infrastructure Pathways. These climate hazards stem from extreme temperatures, water (flooding or drought), and natural disasters — such as wildfires, coastal erosion, and storms — which are all exacerbated by climate change.
There are three main approaches to building with climate risks in mind:
#1- Preparation: Preparation refers to ensuring that building structures can withstand and minimize climate related damages. This includes refurbishment of old buildings from adding storm shutters, all the way to changing to elevating the structure off the ground, bracing structural elements, or switching to fireproof materials.
#2- Adaptation: Adaptation refers to the flexibility needed to respond to hazards that often change and the adaptation of existing and traditional infrastructure systems. That can include flexibility of regulations and the ability for laws to respond to the changing climate such as updating building codes and zoning laws which restrict where structures can be built.
#3- Recovery: Recovery concerns the ability to bounce back from climate disasters. This involves how well the insurance system is integrated and whether there are mechanisms in place to increase the speed of repairs. Indicators include how fast roads can be cleared after a storm, how fast business activity can resume, and how soon students can return to school.
Strong climate resilience infrastructure is necessary in the warming MENA region: The region’s geographical position, and geopolitical and socioeconomic status makes it more susceptible to the effects of climate change, with the UAE and Egypt particularly the most vulnerable, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP) assessed. MENA temperatures have risen an average of 0.46°C per decade in the last 45 years compared to the world average of 0.18°C per decade. Annual temperatures in East and North Africa could rise over 2°C by 2100 and even possibly reach 6°C in some cases. Severe heat can impact infrastructure by affecting the integrity of roads and railways, can cause power outages, and have detrimental health effects that are sometimes fatal, according to the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
Green roofs are an option: Green (vegetated) roofs can reduce roof temperature and energy consumption which helps mitigate the effects of extreme heat on buildings, according to a paper in Science Direct. When temperatures rise or fall dramatically, the integrity of buildings is affected but green roofs can help control the heat effects while reducing emissions.
MENA coastal cities are also in danger: Globally, sea levels have risen an average of 1.7 meters annually during the twentieth century and the MENA region is predicted to be severely affected, particularly at port cities like Alexandria where approximately 100 mn people are at risk of flooding. Around 24% of the region’s coastal GDP and 20% of coastal urban areas are vulnerable which is double the global average. The average increase in sea levels by the end of the century is expected to be 29 to 110 cm and Egypt, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia are the most vulnerable.
But coastal defense techniques could mitigate risks: To deal with coastal erosion, droughts, storms and flooding, coastal defense techniques can be implemented such as dikes, dams, groins, and levees, according to a study (pdf) published in Nature. Because those measures can be expensive to maintain, nature-based solutions such as positioning mangroves or coral reefs for protection are gaining popularity.
There’s not enough being done about it: As of yet, MENA countries have not established comprehensive national adaptation plans (NAPs), which help identify adaptation needs and strategy over the medium and long term based on climate science, CEIP added. However, there have been some efforts made to address the region’s vulnerability — building dams in Morocco to combat drought, optimizing irrigation in Egypt for growing demand, and installing means of coping with heat and humidity in the GCC.
What’s getting in the way of proper resilience measures? A major obstacle to establishing proper resilience plans is a lack of funding. MENA countries have estimated their financial needs for climate adaptation — Morocco will need USD 16 bn by 2030, Tunisia requested USD 4.3 bn, Egypt asked for USD 50 bn, and Jordan expects it will need up to USD 330 mn, the CEIP added. The African Development estimated that North Africa alone would need around USD 280 mn for mitigation and adaptation. However, the countries have had trouble attracting green investments although some funding has been mobilized, mainly for Egypt and Morocco.
The region is also not so great at accurately assessing the risks: MENA countries lack accuracy in their climate change risk assessments, and reduction strategies. Morocco has yet to actually integrate such projects into their development planning and Tunisia’s data is outdated. That — paired with a lack of institutional synchronization — is preventing the region from establishing proper climate mitigation strategies.
We can take a page from others’ book: The US is the most climate resilient country because of its low vulnerability, and ability to direct investments to adaptation, according to the Henley and Partners Climate Resilience Index. Next in the rankings is Germany, the UK, Switzerland, Canada, France, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Norway, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, and Denmark which all make up the higher resilience category.
