Frequently Asked Questions

Resilience is the ability of systems and individuals to adapt to and withstand future shocks and stresses. It will mean modifying physical structures and embedding neighborhoods with the capacity to turn challenges into opportunities. The City of Wilmington’s resilience efforts are founded on the pillars of:

• Collaborative Communities
• Innovation
• Sustainable Environments
• Future-Focused Planning
• Accountability

As the largest city in the State of Delaware, home to over 70,000 residents and the I-95, I-495 and Amtrak Corridor, Wilmington is an important city for the state and the region. Weather conditions, including rain, tidal flooding, and extreme heat are already impacting Wilmington residents. With climate change, the City will face a new set of challenges. Sea level rise, worsening floods, rising temperatures, and changing precipitation threaten to impact Wilmington’s communities and the places and spaces we value most.

To address these challenges, Resilient Wilmington builds off work already being done by the City and regional partners and makes recommendations to help the City prepare for and reduce the impacts of climate change. By taking action to build resilience now, the City is working to ensure that Wilmington has a resilient, prosperous, and equitable future.

Delaware’s Climate Action Plan, the result of a year-long process involving residents, businesses, and technical experts, is a roadmap for how the State can prepare for climate change in the decades ahead. Learn more about the Climate Action plan here.

There are a number of steps you can take to help build resilience in Wilmington. These include:

• Walking, biking, or using public transportation to reduce air pollution.
• Purchasing and maintaining flood insurance, even if your property is outside of the floodplain. Anywhere it can rain, it can flood. 
• Adding rain gardens or other planters on your property to help capture rainfall.
• Creating an emergency plan for you and your family to be more prepared for floods and other disasters.
• Attending community meetings and having your voice heard.