abstract
- © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.The US¿Mexico border region is faced with severely stressed water systems due to climate change that affects energy infrastructure and agriculture, increasing pressure on energy access and food security in low-income communities in this area. Vulnerability from climate change, energy poverty, and lack of cohesive urban planning is significant, yet little is understood about the interrelatedness of these issues and the capacity for adaptation in the communities most affected by climate change. This chapter examines the connections between vulnerability, energy access, and the spatial design of communities within the US¿Mexico border region. A discussion of whether the design of a community may impact vulnerability and whether this in turn affects its ability to adapt to climate change and overcome energy poverty will be examined. It concludes with a discussion of capacity building strategies related to sustainable energy and its ability to adapt to climate change effects.