Big cities near water have to deal with flooding, especially as the climate changes. But they're getting creative and sustainable about solving this problem. Here are 10 ways cities are fighting back against flooding, with some cool examples:
Building Green Roofs: Putting plants on rooftops to absorb rainwater. Toronto, Canada, requires many new buildings to have green roofs, which helps catch rain before it hits the ground.
Creating Wetlands: Allowing areas to flood naturally to absorb water. New Orleans, USA, is restoring wetlands around the city to act like sponges during storms.
Expanding Parks and Green Spaces: Using parks to catch and hold rainwater. Singapore has lots of green spaces that can soak up water, reducing runoff and flooding.
Rain Gardens and Bio-Swales: Planting special gardens that catch rainwater in the streets. Portland, USA, uses these to prevent the water from overwhelming the sewer system.
Permeable Pavements: Installing surfaces that let water seep through instead of running off. Berlin, Germany, has areas with permeable pavements to reduce water runoff.
Sea Walls and Barriers: Building walls to keep the sea out during high tides and storms. Venice, Italy, has a mobile barrier system (MOSE) designed to protect the city from high tides.
Floodable Spaces: Designing areas that can safely flood without causing damage. Rotterdam, Netherlands, has public spaces like parks and plazas that can hold water during a flood.
Improved Drainage Systems: Making better systems to move water away quickly. Tokyo, Japan, has a huge underground system for storing and redirecting floodwater.
Water Storage and Harvesting: Collecting rainwater to use later. Melbourne, Australia, encourages the collection of rainwater for gardens and toilets, which helps lower the city's water demand and reduces runoff.
Community Awareness and Preparedness: Teaching people about what to do during floods. Bangkok, Thailand, works on community-based projects to prepare for and respond to flooding, helping everyone understand how to reduce risk.
By using these strategies, big cities are finding ways to deal with too much water in ways that are good for the planet and make the cities nicer places to live. Search THIS WEBSITE for UN researched evidence of SDG work