Hurricanes have taught Americans hard lessons on resilience

The United States is experiencing a rise in 'billion-dollar' weather disasters, with the average number of such events increasing from 5.3 per year (1980-2012) to 11.6 per year (2013-2017). The author contends that investing in resilience is more cost-effective than rebuilding, noting that federal adaptation investments can provide $4 to $10 in future benefits for every dollar spent. Key recommendations include updating building codes, implementing green infrastructure like wetland restoration, and deploying decentralized energy systems such as microgrids to prevent deadly power failures. The text emphasizes that adaptation must occur simultaneously with greenhouse gas mitigation, as resilience measures often align with sustainability goals and carbon reduction.

• The frequency of severe weather disasters in the United States has increased significantly, with the average number of 'billion-dollar' disasters rising from 5.3 per year between 1980 and 2012 to 11.6 per year between 2013 and 2017.
• Investing in adaptation and resilience is financially superior to rebuilding after disasters; federal government investments in adaptation measures are estimated to provide between $4 and $10 in future benefits for every dollar invested.
• Effective resilience strategies include the use of green infrastructure—such as rain gardens, green roofs, and wetland restoration—to absorb storm surges and rainwater, as well as the adoption of tougher building codes and standards like the FORTIFIED home standard.
• Decentralized energy solutions, including microgrids and renewable energy storage, are critical for maintaining life-saving services during disasters, as evidenced by the deadly long-term blackout in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria.

APA

Laporte, A., & Werner, C. (2018). Hurricanes have taught Americans hard lessons on resilience. Environmental and Energy Study Institute. https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/hurricanes-have-taught-americans-hard-lessons-on-resilience

Chicago

Laporte, Amaury, and Carol Werner. Hurricanes have taught Americans hard lessons on resilience. Environmental and Energy Study Institute, 2018. https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/hurricanes-have-taught-americans-hard-lessons-on-resilience.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Laporte |first1=Amaury |last2=Werner |first2=Carol |title=Hurricanes have taught Americans hard lessons on resilience |publisher=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |date=16 November 2018 |url=https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/hurricanes-have-taught-americans-hard-lessons-on-resilience |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{laporte2018hurricanes, author = {Laporte, Amaury and Werner, Carol}, title = {{Hurricanes have taught Americans hard lessons on resilience}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2018}, month = nov, url = {https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/hurricanes-have-taught-americans-hard-lessons-on-resilience}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }