Climate change poses new threats and exacerbates existing hazards for communities throughout the region. More severe and frequent storms, increased precipitation, sea-level rise, and extreme heat will lead to increased flooding, wetland loss, erosion, heat-related stress, and loss of life and property.

One tool for coping with the vulnerabilities posed by extreme weather events is post-disaster planning. Post-disaster planning is a process by which a community decides if, how, when, and where they will rebuild if part of their community is destroyed as a result of a disaster. Despite its name, communities undertake post-disaster planning prior to a disaster occurring. That way, a community will have already decided how to recover from a disaster before it occurs. This is essential given the stress, heightened emotions, and sense of urgency communities face in the aftermath of a natural disaster.