Climate Risks and Resilience
Communities and decisionmakers across the globe are grappling with how to measure climate risks as they seek to respond to the impacts of climate change, from coastal flooding due to sea level rise to heat waves and wildfires. Experts at Resources for the Future (RFF) are quantifying the economic and social impacts of climate change and evaluating strategies to enhance resilience, ensuring that communities and decisionmakers are equipped with the tools they need to respond.
Highlights
Topics
Adaptation and Resilience
Building resilience and adapting to a changing world
Coastal Resilience
Assessing the design and application of policies to build resilience
Ecosystem Services
Developing environmental management solutions
Hurricanes and Flooding
Studying the impacts of hurricanes and flooding on people and the environment
Insurance and Disaster Aid
Examining ways to make insurance options more affordable
Natural Infrastructure
Examining costs and benefits to inform investment and implementation
Water Resources
Informing effective water management policies, from water rights to quality
Wildfires
Analyzing how communities, land managers, and policymakers can mitigate wildfire disasters
Featured Content
- Highlights
- Publications
- Events
- Editorial
- News
Resources Magazine — Oct 4, 2023
As Sea Levels Rise, So Does Wastewater
Sea level rise poses a threat for waste disposal infrastructure. In houses with septic systems, rising wastewater can cause unhygienic overflows and system failures. More funding and community involvement can help address this expensive, growing problem.
Resources Magazine — Oct 4, 2023
Achieving Justice by Putting Vulnerable Communities on the Map
Screening tools can help prioritize communities that can benefit the most from federal investments. This Q&A with Eric Tate tells more.
Common Resources — Sep 27, 2023
Financing Investments in Climate Resilience: A New Approach
A new federal loan program provides support for projects that improve the resilience of communities in dealing with the effects of climate change.
Resources Radio — Sep 26, 2023
Learning How to Mitigate Heat in Schools, with V. Kelly Turner
V. Kelly Turner discusses the impacts of heat on students in US schools, design choices that can mitigate heat on school grounds, and funding sources for improving school infrastructure.
Explainer — Sep 26, 2023
Flooding in the United States 101: Causes, Trends, and Impacts
This explainer details the causes, trends, and impacts of flooding in the United States.
Testimony and Public Comments — Sep 12, 2023
Comments on the National Strategy for a Sustainable Ocean Economy
This comment to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy responds to a request for information on the National Strategy for a Sustainable Ocean Economy.
Working Paper — Aug 14, 2023
Welfare Losses from Wildfire Smoke: Evidence from Daily Outdoor Recreation Data
This working paper calculates the impact that wildfire smoke has on visits to public lands in the western United States, finding approximately $2.3 billion in annual welfare losses.
Testimony and Public Comments — Jul 26, 2023
Testimony to the US Senate Committee on the Budget: The Fiscal Consequences of Climate Change on Infrastructure
Sue Tierney, chair of the RFF Board of Directors, testified before the US Senate Committee on the Budget regarding the consequences of climate change on infrastructure.
RFF Live — Nov 30, 2022
Sparking Solutions: Wildfire Risk and Insurance
The third RFF Live event in the "Sparking Solutions" event series examining the role of insurance in mitigating the risks of wildfire.
RFF Live — Oct 12, 2022
Sparking Solutions: Reducing Risk at the Wildland-Urban Interface
On Wednesday, October 12, Resources for the Future (RFF) hosted the second RFF Live event in the “Sparking Solutions” webinar series, where we discussed the benefits and challenges of addressing the WUI problem.
RFF Live — Sep 7, 2022
Sparking Solutions: The Fuels Management Challenge and Opportunity
Examining the role of fuels management in mitigating the impacts and intensity of wildfires
RFF Live — Sep 1, 2022
An Updated Social Cost of Carbon: Calculating the Cost of Climate Change
A multi-institutional research team unveils its updated estimate of the social cost of carbon
Resources Magazine — Oct 4, 2023
As Sea Levels Rise, So Does Wastewater
Sea level rise poses a threat for waste disposal infrastructure. In houses with septic systems, rising wastewater can cause unhygienic overflows and system failures. More funding and community involvement can help address this expensive, growing problem.
Resources Magazine — Oct 4, 2023
Achieving Justice by Putting Vulnerable Communities on the Map
Screening tools can help prioritize communities that can benefit the most from federal investments. This Q&A with Eric Tate tells more.
Common Resources — Sep 27, 2023
Financing Investments in Climate Resilience: A New Approach
A new federal loan program provides support for projects that improve the resilience of communities in dealing with the effects of climate change.
Resources Radio — Sep 26, 2023
Learning How to Mitigate Heat in Schools, with V. Kelly Turner
V. Kelly Turner discusses the impacts of heat on students in US schools, design choices that can mitigate heat on school grounds, and funding sources for improving school infrastructure.
Media Highlight — Sep 19, 2023
E&E News: “‘Negative’ Outlook Given to US Homeowners Insurance Sector”
An article on the growing risks of weather-related disasters for US homeowners and homeowners insurance companies.
Press Release — Aug 14, 2023
Western US Wildfire Smoke Costs $2.3 Billion per Year in Health Impacts and Lost Enjoyment
A new working paper, published by scholars at RFF and the University of Alaska Anchorage, finds that camping trips to public lands are worth $107 less on average if they are affected by wildfire smoke.
Media Highlight — Aug 7, 2023
Newsweek: "Florida Could Soon Become Uninsurable—and Other States Will Likely Follow"
RFF Fellow Penny Liao is quoted several times in an article about the increasing risks of insuring properties that often face the brunt of climate-related disasters.
Media Highlight — Jul 17, 2023
E&E News: "EPA's Carbon Metric May Underestimate Climate Change—At Least for Now"
RFF Fellow Brian Prest is quoted in an article about the need for accurate climate damage models.
