Adaptive planning for climate resilient long-lived infrastructures

Climate change is a particular threat to long-lived infrastructures as many existing and planned infrastructures will still be in use by 2030 or 2050 when climate change might have far more substantial impacts then today. Consequently, to avoid financial losses and service disruption, the infrastructure planning process has to be entirely redefined to be able to successfully integrate climate change uncertainties. This paper explores the relationships between climate change and long-lived infrastructure according to the different types of direct and indirect uncertainties surrounding climate change, demonstrates the importance of acknowledging climate change as one of the components of the infrastructure planning process and explains how this same process could be reviewed to make it more responsive to the many uncertainties surrounding our future. It points out the different measures which could be undertaken to improve the planning process.

► Planning new long-lived infrastructure should take heed of climate uncertainties.
► Climate impacts, carbon prices and technology innovation are the new uncertainties.
► The planning process have to become more flexible and adaptive.
► Adaptive planning can make long lived infrastructure climate resilient.
► Governments have a critical role to play in supporting adaptive planning.