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  • Downtown Minneapolis. m01229 (adjusted levels), CC BY 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/, via Flickr

    • Built Environment

    The built environment encompasses human-made or modified landscapes, structures, and infrastructure systems. This chapter focuses on components of the built environment found in and around cities and suburbs across the country, where most Americans live and work.

    Read Full Summary
    Read more in the Fifth National Climate Assessment
    Key Messages
    • Urban areas are major drivers of climate change.
    • Attributes of the built environment exacerbate climate impacts, risks, and vulnerabilities.
    • Urban environments create opportunities for climate mitigation and adaptation.
    • Community-led actions signal a shift toward equitable climate governance.

    From the Built Environment, Urban Systems, and Cities chapter of the Fifth National Climate Assessment.

  • Eflon. CC BY 2.0, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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  • Cover credits: Children in woods, Steve Hillebrand. Horse-eye jacks, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Painted Hills, Jane Pellicciotto. Pelican, George Andrejko/ Arizona Game and Fish Department

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