Published on: 2026-06-30
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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June 30, 2026 Climate and Environment
Heat, floods, rising sea levels, and permafrost thaw are set to increasingly disrupt the operation of transport infrastructure in Europe, Central Asia, and North America in the coming decades. This warning is contained in a new report by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), whose authors call for making the adaptation of transport infrastructure a priority in climate policy.
According to expert forecasts, by the middle of the century, the transportation systems of these regions will have to operate under more extreme climate conditions. For example, in some areas, the number of days with temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius may increase to 200 per year. These conditions will put additional strain on transport infrastructure: road surfaces will deteriorate faster, the risk of deformation of bridges and railway tracks will increase, as well as natural fires near transport facilities.
“Transport systems are vital for the normal functioning of society and the economy. Disruptions in their operation can lead to serious consequences for the population and cause huge financial losses. Extreme weather events are no longer a future risk but today’s reality. Therefore, adapting transport infrastructure has become an urgent necessity,” said UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molchan.
Increasingly devastating floods
Heavy precipitation will be increasingly observed in regions that already regularly face extreme weather conditions today. Among them are the west coast of Norway, the Alps, the Balkans, northern Turkey, certain areas of Central Asia, the Pacific coast of Canada, and the eastern coast of the USA.
For transport infrastructure, this means the risk of landslides, destruction of road embankments, overload of drainage systems, and erosion of highways and railways. The transport infrastructure in the basins of the largest European rivers – the Danube, Rhine, Elbe, Po, Dnieper, Don, and Volga – will be especially vulnerable.
Northern regions under threat
Another consequence of climate change is the degradation of permafrost. As the soil thaws, the stability of the foundations of roads and railways decreases, making the operation of infrastructure increasingly difficult and expensive. According to experts’ estimates, by 2050, about 70 percent of Arctic infrastructure will be located in areas at risk of ground subsidence. At the same time, timely adaptation can reduce the associated costs by almost half.
Risks to ports and coastal infrastructure
Sea level rise and marine storms pose new threats to ports and the entire coastal transport infrastructure. Motorways and railways, tunnels, and logistics hubs, on which international trade depends, are under threat.
According to forecasts, by the end of the century, 71 to 89 percent of the world’s seaports may be at risk from extreme storms. Already today, the annual damage to port infrastructure is estimated at approximately 7.5 billion dollars, and the economic consequences for global trade and supply chains reach tens of billions of dollars.
Adaptation measures
Many countries are already implementing measures aimed at increasing the resilience of transport infrastructure to climate change.
Thus, in Portugal, when designing a new network of high-speed bus routes, solutions were provided to protect against floods, landslides, and wildfires. The project includes the use of road surfaces resistant to high temperatures, as well as drainage systems designed for extreme floods.
A digital early warning system has been implemented on the railway network in Denmark. Sensors installed on an unstable embankment allow real-time monitoring of ground conditions and timely detection of signs of instability, enabling preventive maintenance and the avoidance of prolonged train service interruptions.
Investments in adaptation pay off
The UN ECE emphasizes that inaction will cost significantly more than timely adaptation. According to the World Resources Institute, every dollar invested in climate change adaptation measures yields more than 10.5 dollars in economic, social, and environmental benefits.
The report authors urge governments and the private sector to already consider climate risks today when designing and operating transport infrastructure, to improve monitoring and early warning systems, and to more actively implement solutions that increase the resilience of transport networks to climate change.
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