Governments Need to Prepare for the Effects, Costs of a Changing Climate

Collected resources examine federal and state resilience planning

Updated:   July 3, 2024 Read time:
Projects: U.S. Conservation
Prepare Communities for Climate Impacts
A man in a baseball cap and brown short-sleeved uniform rows a silver boat through muddy floodwaters along a residential street.
West Virginia Department of Natural Resources Lieutenant Dennis Feazell watches for debris as he navigates a boat through a flooded neighborhood in Rainelle, West Virginia, in 2016.
Steve Helber Associated Press

Billion-dollar disasters are on the rise. Every state is feeling the effects of a changing climate, whether from more frequent flooding, drought-inducing heat waves, or raging wildfires. Policymakers throughout the country are learning that confronting the significant and growing financial costs and effects on people, businesses, and infrastructure requires proactive measures.

The Pew Charitable Trusts collaborates with communities and federal, state, Tribal, and local governments to identify ways in which they can become more resilient to climate-related risks and disasters such as fires, floods, drought, landslides, and other life-threatening events.

The resources shared here reflect Pew’s work to foster more resilient communities through better planning, development and implementation of proactive policies, and identification of projects for investment—and by facilitating partnerships, such as the State Resilience Planning Group, to share best practices.  

An overhead view of an area full of fire-damaged trees and the foundations of buildings destroyed by fire. In the distance is the ocean and a few houses still stand at the bottom, near the edge of the area destroyed by fire.
An overhead view of an area full of fire-damaged trees and the foundations of buildings destroyed by fire. In the distance is the ocean and a few houses still stand at the bottom, near the edge of the area destroyed by fire.
Article October 12, 2023

Rise in Billion-Dollar Disasters Driven by Many Factors

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An overhead view of an area full of fire-damaged trees and the foundations of buildings destroyed by fire. In the distance is the ocean and a few houses still stand at the bottom, near the edge of the area destroyed by fire.
Article October 12, 2023

Historically in the U.S., wildfires burned mostly in sparsely populated areas of vast Western states. But that’s changed in recent years, with Hawaii’s island of Maui the latest location of a devastating fire that devoured homes, businesses, and cultural landmarks, along with rain forest and agricultural land.

Six workers secure a large blue tarp on the roof of a two-story condominium under a cloudless blue sky. In the foreground is a badly damaged black SUV, along with large branches and pieces of homes—evidence that a strong storm recently struck.
Six workers secure a large blue tarp on the roof of a two-story condominium under a cloudless blue sky. In the foreground is a badly damaged black SUV, along with large branches and pieces of homes—evidence that a strong storm recently struck.
Article November 28, 2023

Disaster Resilience Efforts Vary Widely Among States

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Six workers secure a large blue tarp on the roof of a two-story condominium under a cloudless blue sky. In the foreground is a badly damaged black SUV, along with large branches and pieces of homes—evidence that a strong storm recently struck.
Article November 28, 2023

In the past 20 years, climate-related disasters have surged in frequency and intensity in the U.S., affecting all 50 states and costing nearly $2 trillion. These events, which have decimated communities and uprooted countless lives, are not expected to ease, as experts predict more and higher-intensity droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, and floods in years to come. Fortunately, states are increasingly taking action to embed resilience planning and management across agencies and functions and to develop comprehensive strategies for projected future conditions.

The Wilson neighborhood is filled with water from Salters Creek during King Tide, one of the highest tides of the year, in Newport News, Va., on Saturday, November 6, 2021.
The Wilson neighborhood is filled with water from Salters Creek during King Tide, one of the highest tides of the year, in Newport News, Va., on Saturday, November 6, 2021.
Report April 1, 2022

Property Buyouts for Flood-Prone Communities

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The Wilson neighborhood is filled with water from Salters Creek during King Tide, one of the highest tides of the year, in Newport News, Va., on Saturday, November 6, 2021.
Report April 1, 2022

Each year across the United States, communities large and small, inland and coastal, face devastation from flooding.

OUR WORK
Updated:   July 3, 2024
Projects: U.S. Conservation
Topics: Land Conservation & U.S. Policy
Experts: Marcia Argust, Kristiane Huber & Mathew Sanders
Places: United States
RELATED EXPERTS
Marcia Argust Director
U.S. Conservation
Kristiane Huber
Kristiane Huber Officer
U.S. Conservation
Mathew Sanders
Mathew Sanders Senior Officer
U.S. Conservation
RELATED RESOURCES

State Resilience Planning Group Works to Reduce Climate Impacts Comprehensive Resilience Plans Help Governments Target Investments to Address Disaster Risks Forward-Looking Policies Lead to More Resilient Communities Infrastructure and Ecosystems Nature-Based Solutions Deliver Cost-Effective Risk Reduction and Other Benefits
Media Contact
Jeff Billington Officer, Communications 202.540.6716

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