This event is organised by The Institute for Science, Innovation and Society (InSIS)

Cities in the U.S. have been adapting to drought and flooding for many years, implementing a combination of mechanisms to cope with climate and water variability and (often) increasing population. I argue that these experiences help us to understand how society will engage the challenge of adapting to climate change. Data from drought management and flooding show that adaptation to climate variability can shift vulnerability in unexpected ways. This suggests that there is a need for greater engagement with various publics on the tradeoffs involved in adaptation action and for improving analysis and communication about the complicated nature of the dynamics of vulnerability.