Climate change (CC) will likely significantly impact the world’s infrastructure significantly. Rising temperatures, increased precipitation, and rising sea levels are all likely to stress critical infrastructures (CI). Rising temperatures can lead to infrastructure damage from extreme heat events. This can cause roads and bridges to buckle or crack, leading to costly repairs and potential traffic disruptions. In addition, heat waves can damage vital electrical infrastructure, leading to widespread power outages. In light of this context, this article reports on a study which examined the connections and impacts of CC on infrastructure. The study employed a mixed-method approach, combining bibliometric analysis for the period 1997–2022 with a series of relevant case studies from the five continents to offer insight into the impact of CC on infrastructure. The article fills a research gap in respect of assessments of the extent to which climate change (CC) negative influences the infrastructure, with a special focus on developing countries.
It also showcases CI projects and adaptation measures being currently deployed, to address CC. The results show that the current infrastructure is vulnerable to CC. The selected case studies on CI adaptation show that in developing and industrialised countries, there is a perceived need to understand better the connections and potential impacts of CC on critical areas such as transport, settlements, and coastal infrastructure. In order to protect infrastructure from CC impacts, governments need to invest in measures such as flood control, early warning systems, and improved building codes. Additionally, they need to work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions more actively, which are the primary cause of CC.
Infrastructure is vital for modern societies, providing essential services and driving economic growth. However, CC poses significant challenges to infrastructure resilience and sustainability globally. While there is growing focus on how CC affects infrastructure in industrialised nations, research on its impact on developing countries' infrastructure is lacking. This paper aims to fill this gap by investigating CC’s influence on CI and showcasing ongoing adaptation efforts to reduce these impacts.
This study reports on a study of bibliometric analyses and a set of case studies, which provides an overview of how CC influences infrastructure. The bibliometric analyses assessed the available literature and identified some current trends, which illustrate the diversity of recent works on the connections between CC and infrastructure, especially in industrialised countries, which were the main focus of the investigation. This study addresses a research gap in the literature by examining the impact of CC on CI, particularly in developing countries, while also highlighting ongoing CI projects and adaptation measures aimed at mitigating the effects of CC. This is important, since the analysis showed that the main research interests are focused on infrastructure related to water, either as a resource or as a problem within coastal infrastructures and human settlements.
The study emphasises the various climate and socioeconomic aspects of infrastructure systems and their features. It outlines the various possible damages from climate influences, especially extreme events. It focuses on water, human settlements, CI, coastal transport, crop systems, and energy.
Important medium- and long-term adaptation projects for CI carried out in various sectors and countries on all continents were identified among the lessons learned from the case studies. The importance of adapting CI lies in the fact that their lack of adaptation can lead to considerable damage due to the effects of CC, with interruptions that can be catastrophic for the population. Furthermore, multistakeholder engagement processes will also be essential in driving climate-resilient infrastructure pathways, as CIs mainly impact citizens and communities that could participate locally in designing adaptation plans.
The practical implications of this paper are two-fold. Firstly, it has outlined the many advantages of ensuring that measures are implemented to reduce the exposure of infrastructures to climate influences. Costs to owners and operators of infrastructure may be much higher if they fail to consider CC issues when the infrastructures are designed, built, and maintained. Secondly, the paper shows that the main research interests are focused on infrastructure related to water, either as a resource or as a problem within coastal infrastructures and human settlements.
In conclusion, this study underscores the urgent need for proactive measures to safeguard infrastructure from the impacts of CC. The findings emphasize the importance of integrating climate considerations into infrastructure planning, design, and maintenance processes. Failure to do so not only jeopardizes the resilience of infrastructure but also exposes owners and operators to increased costs and risks. Multistakeholder engagement and international cooperation are crucial in fostering climate-resilient infrastructure pathways, ensuring the well-being of communities worldwide. Moving forward, policymakers must prioritize investment in adaptation measures and greenhouse gas mitigation strategies to protect CI and enhance global climate resilience. Finally, to protect infrastructure from CC impacts, governments must invest in measures such as flood control, early warning systems, and improved building codes. Additionally, they need to work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions more actively, which are the primary cause of CC.
Sources:
Scientific Reports
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-64606-3 .
Provided by the IKCEST Disaster Risk Reduction Knowledge Service System
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