On January 3, 2025, over 900 train passengers were left stranded in Dodoma, Tanzania for almost six hours, as heavy rains disrupted railway operations.
This incident, reported by The Guardian and Tanzania Times, serves as a vivid reminder of the intricate relationship between climate change and infrastructure.
With extreme weather events becoming more frequent and intense, the need for resilient and sustainable infrastructure has never been more urgent.
Climate disruptions are no longer distant possibilities but present realities that demand immediate and coordinated action.
The growing threat of climate-induced disruptions
The Dodoma railway disruption is not an isolated case. Across the globe, climate change is wreaking havoc on infrastructure systems.
From flooded subways in New York City to collapsed bridges in India and power outages during heatwaves in Europe, extreme weather events are exposing the vulnerabilities of our infrastructure.
According to Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events are expected to increase as global temperatures rise.
This poses a significant risk to critical infrastructure, including transportation networks, energy grids, water systems, and communication lines.
In regions like sub-Saharan Africa, where infrastructure is already underdeveloped, the impacts are even more pronounced.
The economic costs of such disruptions are staggering. The World Bank estimates that low- and middle-income countries lose billions of dollars annually due to infrastructure damages caused by climate-related events.
Beyond economic losses, these disruptions jeopardize lives, displace communities, and hinder progress toward sustainable development goals.
Infrastructure and climate resilience: two sides of the same coin
Building climate-resilient infrastructure is not just an environmental imperative but an economic and social necessity. Climate resilience refers to the capacity of infrastructure systems to anticipate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from adverse climate events.
This involves adopting a proactive approach to design, construction, and maintenance that accounts for climate risks.
The benefits of resilient infrastructure extend beyond minimizing damages during disasters.
It also ensures continuity in essential services, enhances economic stability and reduces the long-term costs of repair and reconstruction.
According to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres’, every dollar invested in resilience can save up to six dollars in recovery costs.
Moreover, resilient infrastructure can create jobs, foster innovation and drive economic growth, making it a win-win solution for governments and communities alike.
Lessons from the Dodoma incident
The railway disruption in Dodoma underscores the urgent need for comprehensive climate risk assessments in infrastructure planning.
This incident highlights that climate risks are dynamic and multifaceted, necessitating holistic and adaptive solutions. Integrating climate projections into infrastructure planning is critical to ensuring that projects can withstand future conditions.
Railways, roads, and bridges must be designed to endure heavier rainfall, rising sea levels, and higher temperatures.
Nature-based solutions also offer a powerful way to enhance climate resilience.
For example, wetlands and mangroves act as natural buffers against extreme weather events, while simultaneously benefiting biodiversity and local communities.
Equally important is the role of governance and coordination.
Effective climate resilience requires collaboration across sectors and government levels. Aligning policies, sharing data and fostering stakeholder engagement are vital steps in this process.
Finally, empowering local communities remains a cornerstone of climate resilience.
Often the first responders during climate crises, communities must be equipped with education, resources and participatory planning opportunities to strengthen their ability to adapt and recover.
By embracing these interconnected strategies, we can transform lessons from incidents like Dodoma into actionable frameworks for building a climate-resilient future.
The role of investments in climate-smart infrastructure
Transitioning to climate-resilient infrastructure requires significant investments. However, the cost of inaction far outweighs the price of proactive measures.
The Global Commission on Adaptation estimates that investing $1.8 trillion globally in climate adaptation measures by 2030 could generate $7.1 trillion in total benefits.
Governments, private sector actors, and international financial institutions must work together to mobilize the necessary resources.
Public-private partnerships (PPPs) can play a pivotal role in financing climate-smart infrastructure. Innovative financing mechanisms, such as green bonds, climate funds, and resilience credits, can also unlock additional capital for these projects.
In addition to financial investments, capacity-building initiatives are essential. This includes training engineers, architects and planners in climate-resilient design principles and fostering research and innovation in sustainable technologies.
Global frameworks and local actions
Global frameworks like the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction provide a roadmap for integrating resilience into infrastructure development.
These agreements emphasize the importance of reducing vulnerability, enhancing adaptive capacity, and ensuring sustainable development.
However, translating these frameworks into actionable strategies requires localized efforts.
Countries must develop context-specific climate resilience plans that address their unique climate risks and socio-economic conditions.
For instance, coastal nations may prioritize seawalls and flood barriers, while arid regions may focus on water management systems and drought-resistant infrastructure.
A call to action
The Dodoma railway incident serves as a wake-up call for policymakers, engineers, financiers, and communities worldwide. Building resilient infrastructure is not an option; it is a necessity.
As climate change continues to challenge our systems and societies, we must rise to the occasion with determination and innovation.
Prioritizing climate resilience in national policies is the first step. Governments must mainstream climate resilience into infrastructure policies, budgets, and development plans.
But climate change knows no borders, making international collaboration equally crucial.
Collaborative efforts, knowledge-sharing, and global funding mechanisms can accelerate the transition to resilient infrastructure.
The private sector also has a critical role to play. Businesses and investors must be engaged in financing and implementing climate-smart solutions.
Incentives such as tax breaks and subsidies can encourage their active participation. At the same time, resilience must be built from the ground up by championing community-led initiatives.
Supporting community-driven projects and incorporating local knowledge can ensure that infrastructure meets the needs of those most affected by climate change.
Finally, embracing innovation will be key.
Advancements in technology, such as artificial intelligence, big data, and renewable energy, offer new opportunities to enhance infrastructure climate resilience.
Governments and research institutions must invest in these cutting-edge solutions to stay ahead of the challenges posed by a changing climate.
Conclusion
As the passengers stranded in Dodoma can attest, climate disruptions are not just statistics or forecasts; they are lived experiences with profound human and economic consequences.
The time to act is now. By investing in resilient and sustainable infrastructure, we can protect lives, secure livelihoods and ensure economic stability in the face of an uncertain future.
Together, we can build a world where infrastructure serves as a pillar of resilience, not a casualty of climate change.
Let us seize this moment to turn challenges into opportunities and lay the foundation for a sustainable and inclusive future.
The path forward demands courage, collaboration, and unwavering commitment to resilience. The question is not whether we can afford to act, but whether we can afford not to.
Learn more about How Climate Change is Reshaping Tanzania’s Future: A Fight for Resilience