Compounded Resilience: A Step Towards Achieving Climate Mitigation and Adaptation in the U.S. Built Environment

Christopher S. Galik, PhD
Deputy Executive Director, Climate and Sustainability Academy
Professor, Department of Public Administration
School of Public and International Affairs
North Carolina State University

Climate-induced relocation offers an opportunity to rethink both mitigation and adaptation imperatives in the built environment. Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is a critical priority. At the same time, compounded climate hazards are forcing millions to reconsider where they live, a trend expected to accelerate. To fast-track GHG mitigation, we must rethink not just how we rebuild after floods recede or fires are extinguished, but where and how we build in anticipation of them. A transformative approach is essential, one that not only curbs emissions but also builds long-term climate resilience in both disaster-affected communities and those where displaced populations will come to reside. And while the conceptual underpinnings of what we are terming compounded resilience—simultaneously adapting to climate change-induced natural disasters while proactively reducing GHG emissions—are well-established and draw from extensive policy and implementation experience, realizing the vision in the current policy and political environment requires a newfound thoughtfulness and intentionality. Here, we use the present rollback of U.S. federal climate initiatives as an example of both the challenges and opportunities facing individual community adoption of compounded resilience as a strategy to attract new residents, benefiting both current and prospective inhabitants while contributing to transformative emissions reductions in the built environment.

Dr. Christopher Stephen Galik is a Professor in the Department of Public Administration and the Deputy Executive Director of the Climate and Sustainability Academy at North Carolina State University. With a Ph.D. in Forestry and Environmental Resources from North Carolina State University, a Master of Environmental Management from Duke University, and a B.A. in Biology from Vassar College, Dr. Galik has a rich background in both academia and professional practice. His research, recognized in journals such as Nature Climate Change and Global Environmental Change, explores the intersection of policy and real-world environmental challenges with a focus on the role of formal and informal institutions in responding to pressing global challenges like climate change. He has received numerous accolades for his teaching and research, including University- and Departmental-Level Outstanding Teaching Awards, as well as recognition as a 2024-2025 University Faculty Scholar.