For several decades, the scientific community has sounded the alarm about the potential impacts of climate change. However, despite the warnings, the repercussions are becoming evident in the damage inflicted on societies and critical infrastructure.

Energy transition experts at Partners in Performance stated that the current challenge lies in the reliance on outdated assumptions in the design and building of infrastructure.

To address this, a paradigm shift is needed in the way essential systems are planned and fortified against the unpredictable challenges posed by increasingly volatile and extreme weather events.

The urgency of this shift becomes apparent when considering the five key drivers that according to Partners in Performance Energy Transition Partner Rob Fowler, highlight the need for a new approach.

1. The pace of planetary change is currently surpassing expectations, as proven by recent data and modelling efforts reveal an unprecedented amount of energy in Earth’s oceans and atmosphere. This surge has profound implications, necessitating a reevaluation of society’s existing strategies.
2. The cryosphere remains poorly understood, particularly the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets — these ice sheets and glaciers are critical factors influencing material impacts such as sea-level rise and ocean currents. Recent high surface temperatures in these regions underscore the urgency of gaining a better understanding of their behaviour in the face of rapid climate change.
3. The consequences of unbridled human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels, are manifesting in extreme weather events — from deluges of rain to devastating floods and crop-destroying heat waves, Earth’s climate systems are responding with unprecedented intensity, posing a direct threat to all land-based infrastructure.
4. Communities are ill-prepared to cope with the challenges posed by extreme weather events, even the well-capitalised and technologically advanced — the fragility of infrastructure is underscored by the vulnerability of the insurance industry, serving as a warning signal for assets, loans, and community sustainability. The inability to secure insurance jeopardises mortgages and other investments susceptible to the ravages of extreme weather. Eventually, rebuilding will become impossible.
5. Methods for deploying new infrastructure and how to strengthen existing infrastructure in the face of very different core assumptions — existing core assumptions no longer align with the current unpredictable weather patterns. Historical weather data traditionally guided the planning and construction of roads and brides, however, with the emergence of climate unpredictability, methods for the design and implementation of infrastructure must change. Partners in Performance experts states that we must “look at the future, rather than the past.”

A current example of how these vulnerabilities can be fixed is the Fitzroy River Bridge upgrade in the far north of Western Australia.

This critical transport corridor was wiped out in January 2023 by extreme weather, forcing heavy freight to add thousands of kilometres to go around.

The new bridge will open in a couple of weeks and has been designed to be six times stronger and 100 metres longer than the old one.

Fowler said: “As the impacts of climate change intensify, businesses must adopt a forward-looking approach to comprehend vulnerabilities before they are exposed by unpredictable events.

“This proactive stance is crucial for companies and their supply chains to navigate the challenges posed by an energised climate.”