This week, parts of the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia found themselves underwater after an “atmospheric river” dumped inches of rain within hours, caused power outages and devastating floods, and forced the evacuations of thousands. It was hard to look at pictures from the region and not imagine people thinking: Maybe we should leave for good.

At the same time, President Biden — home from COP26, the United Nations climate summit — claimed victory with the passage of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which promises more than $1 trillion in funding for renewing transportation and utilities, and enhancing broadband Internet access.

But as weather events like that in the Pacific Northwest show, the president’s Build Back Better agenda is already deeply at risk from climate change. So it’s crucial, as the United States deploys tremendous new spending to rehabilitate infrastructure, that its leaders […]