Climate change also contributes to impacts from extreme events by making some building codes and zoning restrictions inadequate or obsolete. Many North American communities limit development in areas known to be flood-prone, to minimise exposure to flooding. But as climate change expands the areas at risk of exposure to flooding beyond historical floodplains, the impacts of potential flooding are increased, as Hurricane Harvey demonstrated. Adapting to climate change may require retrofits for existing structures and revised zoning for new construction. Some structures and neighbourhoods may need to be abandoned altogether to accommodate expanded flooding risk.
IPCC
Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
IPCC Report