In those locations where societies are highly sensitive to changes in their environment, infrastructure can have a role in reducing the sensitivity of those environments to changes, making society better able to adapt to a different environment. Put another way, infrastructure can increase the resilience of society to the effects of climate change. Some examples include:
- Flood defences, reducing sensitivity to rising sea levels, such as the Thames Barrier in London (see this link or the Delta Works in the Netherlands (see this link);
- Agricultural infrastructure, such as greenhouses, irrigation or vertical farming, to adapt to changing agricultural patterns;
- Coastal protection (such as sea walls) to reduce the impact of extreme weather events such as hurricanes;
- Upgrades to existing infrastructure, such as sewage and water networks to cope with added pressures likely to result from climate change (such as changes to rainfall patterns);
- Early warning systems that inform of pending extreme events and enable preparation.
