In the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the devastation and destruction left behind has taken center-stage. As far as Hurricane Helene, early estimates suggest that roughly 47.5 billion in damages can be expected, and while it’s too early to be sure about Hurricane Milton, experts agree its damage was even more costly. Some suggest damages could reach $100 billion, making it one of the worst in recent history. This of course doesn’t address the loss of life that occurred, especially with those unprepared for Helene’s wrath. As millions try to recover from these natural disasters, it’s evident that a lack of resilient infrastructures contributed to the problems. And given that the severity of these events is seemingly increasing, the need for protection from natural disasters is apparent.
Understanding the situation, some type of shield to protect us from hurricanes and other natural disasters would be ideal. Doing so at an atmospheric level would be incredible, but this is stuff left to science fiction for the moment. Instead, the protection from natural disasters must come in different forms other than disaster relief efforts. Specifically, the type of shields we need are those related to resilient infrastructures. These types of bold solutions are not only desperately needed but are well within our grasp. From architectural design to materials selection, to urban planning, an actual natural disaster shield could be realized. Though such prevention and planning would be more costly, these would be far less than natural disaster losses incurred. The time for such solutions is now.
Smarter Infrastructural Designs
In many cases, the solutions offered after a natural disaster tend to involve the use of different materials or construction techniques. For example, fire-proof materials may be required in areas where forest fires occur. Or stronger pilings or elevated foundations may be part of new building codes in flood-prone areas. These types of solutions are important, but at the same time, these materials can be costly. As such, homeowners may be unable to afford these protections from natural disasters. They are a key component of resilient infrastructures, but they are far from ideal from a cost perspective. Instead, reconsidering how dwellings and buildings are designed is a much more cost-effective strategy. By tailoring designs to accommodate the most likely natural disasters experienced, resiliency can be much better achieved.
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Japan offers a great example of how better architectural and engineering designs can provide protection from natural disasters. Prone to severe earthquakes, Japan adopted new earthquake resistant measures in 1981. Since then, major earthquakes have resulted in much less damage and injury. For example, the severe Great Hanshin earthquake in 1995 saw 97% of all the destroyed buildings being built prior to the new requirements. Better designs involving building dampers, systems of springs, and rubber ball-bearings under foundations provided marked protections. Similar strategies might be employed in designs for protection from natural disasters of any type. Aerodynamic building designs and strategic placements could mitigate wind, hurricane, and tornado damage. Drainage systems and permeable pavements can also offer resilient infrastructures from flooding. These are the designs that better offer natural disaster shields.
Better Urban Planning
Architectural and engineering design strategies are a strong step toward resilient infrastructures. However, urban planning offers even greater protection from natural disasters when combined with these efforts. With urban centers expanding rapidly, attention to transportation systems and communications routinely occur. But these efforts may not consider adequate protections for power lines, mitigate flooding, protect potable water and sewage, and secure telecommunications. It’s not that these are neglected, but investments are not made due to budgetary constraints. This type of short-sighted mindset undermines what could save areas billions of dollars in damage and lost productivity. This is particularly true for older urban areas where such efforts may face higher implementation barriers and expenses.
The extent to which urban planning can go in the protection from natural disasters is vast. They key is to collaborate with private industries in the process, which includes using private consultants. Other key stakeholders include professionals involved in environmental sustainability as well as knowledgeable resilient infrastructure experts. For example, broad urban planning efforts can provide options for underground fiberoptic networks for telecommunications. These may also create green spaces and natural drainage landscapes that further protect urban structures and operations. Though not a shield in the true sense of the word, these are important and necessary actions needed to create resilience.
Leaning on Private Sector Expertise
In 2023, costs related to natural disasters totaled $92.9 billion. One can be sure that these same costs for 2024 will exceed these numbers by far. Municipalities certainly invest in disaster management planning, and they attend to a wide range of preventative and mitigation activities. States also invest millions of dollars towards these efforts as does the federal agency FEMA. But with each natural disaster, the costs in post-disaster relief far exceeds these investments. And in their aftermath, insurance rates climb as to rebuilding costs for consumers who must attend to stricter building codes. Understanding this, it’s evident that pre-disaster planning efforts should be pursued with much greater intensity. And it seems public sector approaches have repeatedly failed in this regard.
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With this in mind, there’s no reason public-private sector collaborations should not be ongoing to create resilient infrastructures. Such collaborations have made huge impacts in some transportation and utility projects. By leveraging professional expertise with public dollars, better comprehensive protection from natural disasters can be realized. Long-range plans to create shielded urban environments from hurricanes, floods, and more could be implemented. And rather than wasting resources to recover from disaster destruction, these could be used to develop truly resilient infrastructures. The holistic approach that researchers, engineers, architects, contractors, and city planners could provide is needed. While we cannot create a bubble of protection from natural disasters yet, this type of collaboration offers an alternative. For now, this is the shield we need in developing more resilient infrastructures and creating a win-win for all.
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