— Written by Lyle Jarvis

The Age of Extremes ⛈️ 

Climate change is no longer a distant threat, it’s happening now. Fires are burning faster and more frequently, floods are swelling higher, and hurricanes are striking harder, leaving a lasting toll on our infrastructure and communities.

As these climate impacts intensify, the cracks in traditional building practices are becoming harder and harder to ignore. In fact, there were 27 climate disasters exceeding a billion dollars in damages last year alone.

In California, major insurers have begun pulling out of fire-prone regions, leaving homeowners scrambling for protection. In Florida, houses are becoming uninsurable as flooding and sea-level rise accelerate. And in Europe, record-breaking heatwaves are making schools and care homes uninhabitable, underscoring the urgent need for adaptive design.

Society is waking up to the reality that resilience isn't optional, it's a means of survival. And from an economics perspective, it might be a better way forward for investors, architects, engineers and beyond.

Resilience: The Trillion Dollar Opportunity 💵 

The good news: breakthrough solutions already exist, things like:

• Fire-resistant materials: rebuilding smarter with defensible concrete walls

• Green roofs: can lower energy costs, control stormwater, and cool urban areas.

• Sponge-city systems: the flood-proof architecture of the future?

Even five years ago, it was estimated that investment in adaptation could yield $7.1 trillion in net benefits by 2030. While that figure is likely even greater now, it’s also a clear signal that resilience is not just smart climate policy, but smart economics.

To help bring this opportunity to life, we have to call on our leaders to embed innovative climate resilience into markets, policies, and everyday construction practices. Economics experts are also exploring how the private sector can supercharge these investments.

The Biden-Harris administration made a strong effort by hosting the first-ever White House Climate Resilience Summit, and releasing a National Climate Resilience Framework, but efforts have dwindled with the new administration.

Further reading: Lessons from the White House Summit on Building Climate Resilient Communities

Innovation Spotlights 💡

As part of our Reinventing Tomorrow series, we covered how Kubik is revolutionizing construction, creating building blocks from recycled plastic. Check out how they're building affordable, eco-friendly housing for a brighter future! Reinventing Tomorrow: Kubik

As sea levels were rising in this Oceanside, California, the ocean quite literally started to swallow the sand. In a remarkable story of togetherness, their community joined forces to innovate and adapt against coastal erosion and create a more resilient city.
Watch: Transforming Cities: Trying to save one beach at a time

This story of Oceanside is part of a series produced by BBC for C40 Cities, showcasing how cities are taking urgent climate action and moving towards a more resilient future. Check out more stories of climate resilience here! [Transforming Cities]

While we're still focused on creating climate solutions, the future isn’t just about resisting change, it’s about adapting to it. Fires will burn, floods will rise, and storms will strike, but our response can shape what survives and thrives. By weaving resilience into each fabric of our infrastructure, we can help safeguard the health, equity, and vitality of our communities. 

Further reading: 5 ways we need to adapt to climate change — or pay the price (Grist)

Take a 15-minute Climate Action Today! 📣

Instead of our regular news stories this week, we wanted to share a quick and easy way you can take HUGE climate action in as little as 15 minutes.

Our friends at Climate Changemakers set up an action plan to protect against the EPA, who, as you may have heard, is taking steps to repeal the Endangerment Finding (a key Obama-era climate victory).

But we’re not going down without a fight. Join us in taking these three steps to make your voice heard, and tell your leaders you’re serious about climate progress.

Community Announcement 📅

New York Community! 📣 🫂 🗽 We’re coming to climate week.

Join us for a special event we're supporting alongside our friends at Google and Latitude! Go behind the scenes of Google's data centers with a live storytelling experience from award-winning podcast produced by Latitude Studios featuring the Pique produced Where The Internet Lives video series.

Learn more about the event and request to attend here!

⏰ September 23, 2025 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM EDT
📍 The Pershing Square Signature Center
🗺️ 480 West 42nd Street, Jim Houghton Way New York, NY

Hosted by Derek Thompson (Journalist, Co-author of Abundance), Kate Brandt (Chief Sustainability Officer at Google) and more all-star experts, you'll hear stories about how AI is unlocking the next wave of innovation — accelerating clean energy technologies, supporting resiliency solutions, and modernizing the energy system.