The Chandler Foundation recently released its “Social Investor” magazine, an influential guide to philanthropists and a particularly important one during a time of crisis. In a section titled “Climate Philanthropy Matters,” the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s Laurie Goering interviewed the Co-Founder of the Center for Climate and Security and Council on Strategic Risks, Francesco Femia, about what the COVID-19 crisis can teach nations about preparing their critical infrastructure for climate change. Mr. Femia highlighting the need for “massive investments in resilience” as well as “climate-proofing” that infrastructure. Read the except below (from page 68), and the entire publication here.

Climate-Proof Infrastructure 

Just as many of the world’s systems, from healthcare to supply chains, haven’t proved resilient to a pandemic, so most of the world’s key infrastructure is hugely vulnerable to climate change impacts. 

Francesco Femia, co-founder of the Center for Climate and Security, sees a need to invest in climate-proofing everything from ports to hospitals to military bases, and making sure anything new is built low carbon and designed to withstand risks from sea level rise to water shortages. 

“What this coronavirus moment is telling us is there’s a need for massive investments in resilience. Our systems are much more fragile than most people thought. We’re facing unprecedented risks — but we also have unprecedented tools to deal with those risks, if we choose to invest in them,” he said.