The Board on Environmental Change and Society of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine organized a workshop in May 2024 to discuss the crucial role of public infrastructure in climate mitigation and adaptation. Bilal M. Ayyub, the Workshop Planning Committee Chair from the University of Maryland, highlighted the increasing Congressional interest in infrastructure investments. Ayyub emphasized the need for a broader conceptualization of infrastructure beyond traditional “gray” materials like concrete and steel to include soft and nature-based elements.
Further, Ayyub stressed the importance of holistic infrastructure planning that considers interconnected systems and promotes human well-being and environmental justice. The Chair called for future infrastructure solutions to balance physical and economic efficiencies while integrating social and behavioral sciences to achieve effective and just adaptation. The workshop highlighted the necessity of redefining infrastructure and enhancing its resilience to address the challenges of climate change, offering an optimistic vision for a more sustainable future.
The Board on Environmental Change and Society of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a collaborative workshop in May 2024 devoted to the role of public infrastructure in effective climate mitigation and adaptation. This publication summarizes the workshop presentations and discussions, reflecting the participants’ collective efforts and insights.
Contributor(s): National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education; Board on Environmental Change and Society; Heather Kreidler, Rapporteur.
© 2024 National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
(Source: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2024. Public Infrastructure for Effective Climate Mitigation and Adaptation: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/27866.)
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