Impacts of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans

With warming temperatures, rising sea levels and more extreme weather events, the impacts of climate change are already unleashing a swath of disruptive and often catastrophic changes to many areas and communities around the world. But many populations–namely low-income, minority, the elderly and children–are especially vulnerable to climate change since they often lack adequate housing, supplies and infrastructure to effectively respond and move out of harm’s way in the case of a severe weather event. In the United States, a number of extreme weather events and disasters have overwhelmed communities, underscoring the need for states and the federal government to make smarter, long term and sustainable investments to ensure that these communities will become more resilient. In 2005 and 2012, Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, exemplified just how the rising costs of climate change are disproportionately high for low-income and minority populations. In both communities, local, state and federal officials were largely ill prepared in the aftermath of the storms as many people struggled to receive essential supplies, housing and assistance. Similarly, along the Alaskan coast where melting sea ice, severe storms and flooding are quickly eroding the coastal lands under which many native communities live, villagers are facing imminent risk of both physical and cultural destruction despite piecemeal state and federal efforts to provide temporary solutions. While these three examples are from distinctly different regions of the U.S., they share the same lesson: cities, towns, and villages, particularly along the coast, must become more resilient to climate change. Specifically, these communities and low-income groups must not only be able to withstand physical damage after a disaster, but must also have the capacity to bounce back even stronger. With successful efforts at supporting resilience especially in these communities, the U.S. will not only save money, but will also be saving lives as well.