Climate Adaptation and Resilience

Climate adaptation and resilience describe how the federal government and local partners prepare communities, infrastructure, and operations to withstand and recover from climate-driven hazards like floods, wildfires, extreme heat, and storms.

Federal approach to resilience

Federal agencies are embedding resilience into planning, budgets, and operations—producing agency adaptation plans, investing in climate-smart infrastructure, and directing resources to communities most at risk. This whole-of-government focus prioritizes protecting critical systems such as energy, transportation, water, and public health while advancing environmental justice.

Examples in practice

Across the government, actions range from elevating roads and strengthening coastal wetlands to installing microgrids and updating facility designs to withstand extreme events. The Department of Defense’s environmental programs show how large federal operations assess risk and adapt facilities and training to maintain readiness (Inside the Pentagon’s Massive Environmental Effort).

How communities can engage

Communities can tap federal grants and technical assistance, pursue nature-based solutions, update building codes, and center equity in planning to reduce vulnerability. Coordinated federal support helps scale local solutions so towns, tribes, and cities are better able to anticipate, absorb, and recover from climate shocks and stresses.