Dual Crises Show Need to Invest in Resilience

The United States is in the midst of two global crises: the COVID-19 pandemic and the reality that climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather. With the start of hurricane season this month, more people will soon face both crises at the same time. Though public health guidelines are calling for individuals to remain at home and away from groups as much as possible while states gradually “reopen”, hurricanes force people to evacuate homes and find shelter elsewhere, which will undoubtedly compromise social distancing protocols. Acknowledging that dual disasters may overwhelm current systems and leave communities in critical condition, experts are calling for investments in resilient infrastructure.

Meshing Physical and Social Infrastructure

Resilience can be built into both physical and social infrastructure and is inherent in natural infrastructure. Resilient physical infrastructure includes power grids, transportation systems, buildings, and water sanitation systems that continue to function for all people during and after catastrophic events. Investment in physical infrastructure also increases job opportunities, and, if well-planned, connects communities and provides access to essential services such as food, healthcare, and education.

However, as Greg Guannel, Director of the Caribbean Green Technology Center at the University of the Virgin Islands, explained during a recent EESI briefing, “resilience is what we do, not [just] what we have.” Physical infrastructure is critical for society to function, but it does not create resilience in and of itself—it needs to be coupled with social infrastructure. Building resilient social infrastructure includes stocking food banks, training volunteers and first responders, establishing dependable social networks, and preparing hospitals, schools, and community centers to serve the public. Enhancing resilience across both areas is key to addressing current trauma and preparing for future crises.

Dual Disasters Highlight System Weaknesses

Disasters, such as hurricanes and COVID-19, shine a spotlight on the places where systems are most vulnerable—exposing and exacerbating existing issues in society. As cities and towns plan infrastructural improvements, they must take these vulnerabilities into account. As Melissa Roberts, Founder and Executive Director of American Flood Coalition, explains, to be resilient, infrastructure must be built with three core issues in mind: risk to disaster is distributed unevenly due to historic inequalities; during and after disasters, programs often do not work for those who need them most; and vulnerable and marginalized populations recover slowly from disasters. The coming hurricane season will likely bring these issues to the forefront again. Indeed, the imperative of involving frontline communities in the conversations and planning was a central theme of the Puerto Rico and the U.S Virgin Islands briefing series.

Community-centered Resilience

As Jenny Suckale, Assistant Professor of Geophysics and Center Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford University, notes, resilience is always community-specific, and solutions should be developed with the input of community members so that they are realistic, culturally appropriate, and communicated in languages that people can understand and use. The work of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CRPA) on the Louisiana Coastal Master Plan is one successful example of the co-creation of resilient infrastructure. The CRPA lists a “participatory process” as one of its guiding principles, and constructs resilient flood control and coastal restoration infrastructure with the input of federal, state, and local governments as well as local community members and organizing groups. CRPA had previously formulated the 2012 Coastal Master Plan and the 2017 Coastal Master Plan, and the group is currently working on the 2023 Coastal Master Plan. These plans then serve as the basis for initiatives across the state, such as Louisiana’s Strategic Adaptations for Future Environment (LA SAFE), a coastal adaptation planning program that also emphasizes local communities in its approach to planning.

Resilient infrastructure solutions address multiple problems simultaneously and reduce the chance that the dual impacts of COVID-19 and natural hazards will lead to a disaster. The key to resilient infrastructure is not spending more money, but rather spending money more strategically. According to studies by the National Institute of Building Sciences, $1 invested before a disaster can save $4 to $11 in post-disaster rebuilding costs. With careful and intentional planning, it is possible for every community and individual to have less to rebuild after a disaster—physically, economically, and socially.

Author: Maeve Arthur