Reducing Repeated Costs and Building Resilience
Resilience means reducing the damage a hazard causes and improving a community's ability to recover when an event occurs.
Repeated damage
Flood-prone roads, culverts, shorelines, and public facilities can be repaired multiple times if the underlying exposure is not reduced. Rebuilding to the same standard can recreate the same vulnerability.
Avoided losses
Adaptation can include elevating or relocating vulnerable infrastructure, increasing drainage capacity, restoring floodplains, improving backup power, and protecting natural buffers. These measures can reduce future repair and disruption costs.
Multiple benefits
Some resilience projects provide benefits even when no disaster occurs. Trees can reduce heat, wetlands can store water and support habitat, and microgrids can improve reliability during outages.