Raise awareness of built environment disasters
Many homes, though built to code, are not safe. This wooden home in Union Beach, NJ was built in the middle of a floodplain. It was destroyed by the storm surge in Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Over 200 homes were damaged beyond repair in this community alone because of poor policy decisions and the use of weak and cheap building practices.
Promote action to equitably plan for natural risks
With the increasing frequency and severity of floods, wildfires, and extreme weather, the best way to adapt is with “green” rather than “gray” solutions where possible. Hunter’s Point Park in Long Island, NY is a tidal salt marsh that protects the shoreline from erosion and storm surge. It’s a center for recreation that doubles as a safe haven for wildlife.
Network and engage with sponsors & partners
Aris Papadopoulos, second from the left, chairs the Resilience Action Fund, a founding sponsor of the Resilience Youth Network. He was the first chair (2011-2013) of the UN International Strategy on Disaster Reduction (UN-ISDR) Private Sector Advisory Group.
Resilience is the ability of communities to withstand physical hazards, maintain functionality, and adapt to rising risks.
Member Publications and News
The fight against wildfire must include fire-resistant homes
Freakish climate is here to stay. Colorado should build homes and cities that can withstand it.
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Water Resource Challenges in Northeastern Colorado
Water is drawn from the Colorado River and diverted to the more than 925,000 people in northeastern Colorado. Currently, there is not enough water capacity to supply the region’s growing population. Global temperature rise due to climate change is causing a loss of low-elevation snowpack in Colorado. This is one major factor exacerbating the 20+ year drought on the Colorado River and contributing to water scarcity in the west.
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A Closer Look at Flooding and Financial Risk in Eastern North Carolina
I threw the car in gear, racing through sheets of rain back to the music festival. I had left my friends asleep in their tents to attend a family wedding, and in my absence, Hurricane Matthew had descended. Everything – pillows, sleeping bags, clothing, food supply, festival-goers – was soaked. A Bojangles tailgate special and running the dryer for a few hours set us straight — but the rest of North Carolina didn’t share our luck. Hurricane Matthew caused over $10 billion in damage across the state, and in the years that followed, Florence, Dorian and other intense weather events would add over $25 billion to the tally of damages, a large proportion stemming from flooding.
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The Future of Water Technology in Agriculture | Increasing the quality and quantity of water supply
The agri-food system is an immense and complex leviathan that accounts for the overwhelming majority of freshwater used by humans annually. Specific geographies across the world face significant water stresses associated with inputs and outputs of agricultural water use. Against a backdrop of growing environmental challenges, the intersection of water and agriculture is emerging as a central topic in managerial and political circles.
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A Clime of Reckoning for Miami Beach
The tragic Surfside condo collapse is a stark reminder of the fragility of our seaside communities, and the urgent need for a stronger and safer built environment.
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Call to Action
As the climate changes and extreme weather events become more severe, it is critical that our built environment be more resilient: capable of withstanding these changes and adapting to new ones.
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