Introduction

PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF ADAPTATION and resilience to extreme events has picked up dramatically in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, which hit the northeastern United States in late October 2012. The public discussion has also drawn in the business community, based on a slowly growing perception among business leaders that the weather is changing in ways that put business infrastructure and supply chains at risk. In October 2012, for example, the global trade association of oil and gas companies (IPIECA) held its first internal workshop to explore climate change adaptation efforts and needs in the sector. ¹