ASCE2027 is the Society’s premier event, uniting infrastructure and civil engineering leaders to explore bold ideas, innovative solutions, and the future of the profession. The event will be held in the heart of Philadelphia, from March 1 to 5, 2027.
In this ASCE Interchange Live, Jake Bittle, senior staff writer at Grist and author of The Great Displacement, and a keynote speaker at ASCE2027, discusses the climate crisis and the need to invest in both clean energy and resilient infrastructure.
This ASCE Interchange Live is part of a special series highlighting the vision, strategy sessions, key themes, and keynote voices of ASCE2027.
“I do think that there’s significant tail risks in not understanding, you know, the potential dynamics,” said Bittle.
He explains in one example about the power grid, “Now, this is such an integral part of the conversation around data centers and leveraging money for infrastructure investment and the grid. And not understanding how those systems work kind of leaves you behind in the conversation.”
Bittle also discusses how the profession is making progress in climate resilience and modernization amid current regulatory and financial constraints. One of the biggest questions that will be answered in his keynote address will be who pays or faces the greatest funding pressures when it comes to climate‑change investment.
Registration for ASCE2027 opens this summer. To learn more, visit experience.asce.org.
To view all ASCE Interchange episodes, visit ASCE’s YouTube channel.
