Social infrastructure encompasses the resources and services that allow the creation of communal bonds and social connections. Within the built environment, it manifests through public spaces like parks, libraries, and community centers alongside threshold spaces such as public transportation stops.
These public social spaces play a crucial role in strengthening communities and, in turn, their ability to respond to catastrophic climate-related events. They can provide physical shelter to the populations most vulnerable to these events and foster resilient networks of people who can more quickly recover. Given the escalating frequency of extreme weather events in the United States due to climate change and its social infrastructure inadequacies, examining public spaces as a critical tool for climate resilience becomes vital.
When an extreme weather event occurs, the degree of its impact on human life hinges on a multitude of factors. According to the Urban Land Institute's research "Ten Principles for Building Resilience," the risk entailed by a climate hazard is not just the event in isolation but rather a complex interplay of the event's severity, the population it affects, and the underlying socioeconomic dynamics at play. For example, a flood's risk depends on how many people it affects and the underlying socioeconomic stresses that make these people more vulnerable. As the United States grapples with escalating occurrences of heatwaves, floods, and storms, the brunt of these events will fall disproportionately on the most economically disadvantaged and marginalized segments of its population.
Related Article
How NYC Plans to Deal With Rainstorms: Global PrecedentsHence, public social infrastructure is crucial; it has the potential to reduce underlying economic stresses affecting the most vulnerable by providing public community assets and support. Beyond merely offering immediate refuge to vulnerable populations during crises, community centers, and libraries serve as hubs for nurturing social connections, thereby enhancing communities' resilience in the face of climate-related events. Social infrastructure not only facilitates spaces for individuals to organize and address their needs autonomously but also harnesses community assets and social networks to expedite recovery efforts. Furthermore, it lays the groundwork for organizations to collaborate, share resources, and orchestrate recovery initiatives effectively.
The social networks created by these spaces can play a pivotal role in fostering mutual support and collaboration, making a big difference during times of crisis. An example posed by the Urban Land Institute in their research "Social Spaces, Resilient Communities" is the Chicago heatwave of 1995, where more than 700 people died. Low-income black neighborhoods and communities of color experienced the highest mortality rates in the city due to a lack of air conditioning as a result of systematic racism and disinvestment. However, specific neighborhoods also saw some of the city's lowest mortality rates, which were even lower than some of the city's wealthiest neighborhoods. The differentiator of these was in the robustness of their social bonds. Residents in these neighborhoods were more likely to check on vulnerable community members to make sure that they were not left isolated and in danger at home.
Even if you hold constant other aspects of risk and vulnerability, like economic status or the devastation of disaster, it still matters to have these organizational ties, institutional capacity, and more traditional social ties. - Anita Chandra, RAND Social and Economic Well-Being
In addition, when engineered to withstand various hazards, these public spaces can serve dual purposes by mitigating environmental vulnerabilities and acting as defense infrastructure against natural elements. For example, waterfront parks integrated with berms or levees not only offer recreational amenities but also function as vital components of environmental resilience, capable of storing stormwater and mitigating flood risks. A prime illustration of this concept is the Enghavenparken in Copenhagen, Denmark. Located at the bottom of a hill, it was re-designed by urban design firm Tredje Natur as a stormwater basin for the neighborhood while retaining its social and recreational role. The park features an excavated area with perimeter walls to create water storage capacity. This area doubles as a sports court with stepped seating during dry weather. On top of that, the park includes a series of other social spaces, such as areas for concerts, rose gardens, playgrounds, and pavilions.
Strong communal bonds are essential to the effective response to climate-related shocks and stresses, which will only become more severe and recurring due to climate change. Infrastructure to support these then becomes crucial, and precedents show that the role these can play as climate defense infrastructure can be multi-layered. Well-maintained, socially equitable, and easily accessed social infrastructure has the potential to both foster communal bonds and provide physical shelter that can effectively support those most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
