The force of Mother Nature is nothing to be reckoned with. The power nature possesses was seen in 2009 with the tsunami and the various cyclones that have hit our island nation.

One of the impacts of climate change is that storms have become stronger and weather conditions have become more extreme. On Friday morning, winds with speeds of 55 kilometres per hour flattened the bus shelter at Savalalo.

It was not a small structure. Observation on site revealed that all the posts holding the shelter broke off at the ground. Mother Nature can be blamed for this damage. This is also a lesson to the nation. This shows why there is a need for resilient structures in this day and age when climate change is being experienced.

Of late, we have been witnessing cold nights, strong winds and days of rain without stopping. These are all signs of extreme weather conditions. The cyclones that impact the region have also become stronger. This calls for stronger structures whether it is housing or public infrastructure. The word scientists use is ‘resilient structures.

What does it mean? A resilient structure is expected to be able to resist to an extreme event with minimal damages and functionality disruptions during the event; after the event, it should be able to rapidly recover its functionality similar to or even better than the pre-event level.

When we think of climate-resilient infrastructure, we might think of strong buildings; hardy, weather-resistant roads; or continuous electricity. Few would question this, and the ability of infrastructure to withstand increasingly harsh and frequent weather events is certainly an important part of resilience to a changing climate. But this is only half the story.

Climate-resilient infrastructure is about much more than the strength and resistance of concrete and steel. It’s also much more than an ability to cope with and absorb prevailing conditions, or even building back when disaster strikes. It may sound obvious, but the reason for infrastructure to be climate-resilient is so that people can access, use and benefit from those facilities and services over time.

Infrastructure assets should be planned and budgeted for, designed, built, operated and maintained ‘based on inclusive design and stakeholder engagement, while also building broader community resilience, and where possible, supporting improved capacity of individuals, industry and government.’

In the context of disasters, the need for humanitarian infrastructure to be sustainable and climate-resilient, and highlights the importance of ensuring local communities and traditional knowledge, values and practices inform the design and management of infrastructure.

Climate-resilient infrastructure is inherently about people, and our approach to it has significant implications for accessibility, gender equality, and social inclusion.

Climate-resilient infrastructure is both social and technical. Research shows that even the most critical of human needs have relational and physical aspects. Infrastructure assets like water services, shelter, and transport are deeply interconnected with production and livelihoods; psycho-social well-being; understanding and continuation of culture and identity; and sustaining the ongoing satisfaction of needs over time.

Such needs are socio-economic, psycho-social, cultural, and in some cases all-encompassing – each reflecting social assets of infrastructure which, in contrast to physical resources, are not scarce.

Infrastructure involves and affects people in profound and everyday ways. A built environment that is climate-resilient should be locally led; people-focused; and elevate the importance of culture, relationships and social support. This is what truly climate-resilient infrastructure looks like.

That is why every homeowner and landlord is being urged to consider resilience when building structures. There is a need for the government to review the 2017 National Building Code and revise it so it measures up to the climate threats that we have started to face.

Having resilient structures benefits the nation in its entirety. Having resilient infrastructure means that generations to follow will not have to deal with flawed bridges and roads. These are necessary investments and should be made a priority.

Scientists have predicted that weather conditions will continue to get extreme. That is why we need resilient structures.