US Communities Invest in Climate Adaptation Infrastructure

Climate adaptation is increasingly moving from planning to real-world action as heat waves, droughts, wildfires, floods, and hurricanes test communities across the US. After catastrophic flooding killed over 130 people in Texas Hill Country last year, newly installed sirens were credited with warning residents during July's floods, which killed three people but avoided a repeat of the 2025 disaster.

Texas expanded flood warning systems and floodplain buyouts after the Hill Country floods, while Houston strengthened building codes after Hurricane Harvey. Alice Hill, a senior fellow for energy and the environment at the Council on Foreign Relations, says that 'almost all the infrastructure' in the US 'was built for a climate that essentially no longer exists.'

Many states are redesigning infrastructure for the climate threats they face most — from hurricanes in the Southeast to droughts and wildfires in the West. Florida has invested in backup power, stronger building codes, and microgrids, while Louisiana utilities have hardened substations and strengthened the electric grid after repeated hurricanes. California has expanded wildfire-resistant building standards, underground power lines, and drought measures such as water recycling and groundwater recharge.

Some communities are moving ahead despite federal funding constraints. Babcock Ranch, Florida, is an example of a community that has buried power lines, improved storm drainage, and built more wind-resistant homes, weathering four hurricanes with little damage.