Climate and Infrastructure I: Why Does It Matter?

The US National Academy of Engineering (NAE) has collaborated with four partners -- Arizona State University, Museum of Science-Boston, University of Virginia, and the Colorado School of Mines -- to develop a Phase I Climate Change Education Partnership (CCEP) on the impacts of climate change for engineered systems. In its work from 2010 to 2014 the Partnership focused on efforts to catalyze and transform education so that it effectively prepares current and future engineers, policymakers, and the public to meet these challenges. At the capstone meeting and workshop in January 2013, national leaders in climate adaptation, city management, engineering systems, public engagement, and other key fields gathered to work through the implications of climate change for US infrastructure in the context of education and public policy.

The workshop was recorded, and two videos released by the NAE Center for Engineering Ethics and Society summarize the results. The first highlights the importance of changes in climate with respect to engineered systems, and the second describes the many different types of expertise that will be needed to adequately address the challenges to these systems. These videos are intended to serve as a starting point for discussion and enable educators and others to inform engineers and the public of the numerous challenges posed by climate change.