Strategies to Mitigate the Risk to the National Critical Functions Generated by Climate Change

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Lauland, Andrew

Contributor:

Acosta, Joie D.

Ali, Rahim

Chan, Edward W.

Donohue, Richard H.

Ecola, Liisa

Gulden, Timothy R.

Kolb, Chelsea

Regan, Liam

Resetar, Susan A.

Language:

English

Place of Publication:

RAND Corporation 2023

Summary:

One in a series examining the risks climate change presents to the United States, this report examines climate adaptation strategies for 25 National Critical Functions (NCFs) at greatest risk of disruption from climate change. Climate drivers include major weather events, such as hurricanes or floods, and the effects of sea-level rise or drought. The authors examined the adaptation strategies available, how to assess their effectiveness and feasibility, and what tools are available to assist with these efforts. The focus was on impact pathways — how climate change might disrupt an NCF — each of which is a combination of climate drivers (such as drought and flooding) and impact mechanisms (such as physical damage and workforce shortages) affecting a given NCF. The emphasis is on strategies that owner-operators—state, local, tribal, and territorial governments and private-sector stakeholders — of critical functions might implement to adapt to such climate risks.