Researchers from North Carolina State University have introduced a new approach for local governments to strengthen their communities against the impacts of climate change. The strategy, called “compounded resilience,” aims to help municipalities both adapt to the effects of climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“Local governments are already dealing with the impacts of climate change,” said Christopher Galik, corresponding author of the paper and professor of public administration at North Carolina State University. “There are more extreme weather events, such as hurricanes and flooding, which force municipalities to make decisions about how, where and – in some cases – whether to rebuild. The changing climate is also influencing where people want to live, forcing some municipalities to make decisions about how and where new development will take place to accommodate a growing population.”
Georgina Sanchez, co-author of the paper and director of research engagement in NC State’s Center for Geospatial Analytics, noted that these challenges present opportunities for local governments. “All of these development and redevelopment decisions represent an opportunity for local governments to adopt policies that better prepare infrastructure and neighborhoods for the new conditions driven by climate change,” she said. “Policies designed to incentivize adaptation strategies that make communities more resilient to flooding or other increasing challenges can be intentionally linked with efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change itself. This combined approach is what we call ‘compound resilience.’”
Sanchez acknowledged potential difficulties: “Instituting new policies and regulations that govern zoning, construction requirements, and so on, can be expensive and politically challenging. But if communities are already having to build or rebuild in response to climate change, implementing compound resilience policies may be more feasible.”
Galik added that there are incentives for municipalities competing for residents displaced by climate events: “We are already seeing municipalities compete to attract people and businesses displaced by climate change, so there is an incentive for local governments to present themselves as being safe places for people to move and invest. On the other hand, we find that, if nothing else changes, climate-driven shifts in where people live could actually increase greenhouse gas emissions. The argument we are making here is that there is both a need and an opportunity to adopt compound resilience policies.
“These are policies that can help communities grow while improving quality of life,” Galik said.
Sanchez explained the cost benefits of forward-thinking measures: “For example, we know that incorporating greenhouse gas efficiency measures into new construction is substantially less expensive than retrofitting existing structures. These measures improve energy efficiency and ultimately reduce costs for property owners. Thinking about these ways to improve efficiency at the same time we are thinking about ways to build climate resilience, such as fire resistance or flood mitigation, present tremendous advantages for local governments and the people who call those places home.”
The full study appears in Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change under the title “Compounded Resilience: A Step Towards Achieving Climate Mitigation and Adaptation in the U.S. Built Environment.” It was published on December 27, 2025.
