In a world flooded with climate challenges, sustainability might provide solutions for the vulnerable human race. Climate threats will keep on impacting lives on planet Earth, but readiness to threats and capacity building can decrease the loss of life owing to natural disasters. Combating climate threats demands intensive technological advancement and a negative outflow of the Treasury. Underdeveloped and developing countries unfortunately fail to comply with the prior mentioned conditions and further exacerbate their risk of climate vulnerability. In such crucial times, adaptation and mitigation through smart coping mechanisms can prove fruitful for nations.
Climate change mitigation involves strategic approaches. The government can include climate strategies as compulsory agendas and employ various policy tools, including carbon pricing, energy efficiency standards, and renewable energy incentives to promote green living. Insisting people to resort towards a low-carbon economy can change the climate paradigm and promote sustainable practices. Governments should target the sectors with high mitigation potential and execute plans to ensure the least carbon emissions. There is a broad margin of carbon cutting in the sectors of energy, transportation, agriculture, forestry, and infrastructure.
Rotterdam, a city in the western outskirts of the Netherlands, has gone out of its way to cater to its climatic issues and has evolved as a champion of sustainability and mitigation strategies. It has used simple yet effective approaches to ensure that Rotterdam thrives amid climate crises. Rotterdam port, hub of economic activities and the busiest port in the European Union, was vulnerable to water inundation due to rising sea levels. History with highlights of violent floods wiping towns, 1953 flood catastrophe, Hurrican Katrina, Sandy, Harvey, and Maria, Rotterdam has seen it all, but due to its mitigation measures, it has now earned the title of “water-proof city.” In the wake of climate threats, Rotterdam port authorities, along with the government, came up with a “flood risk management plan.” Rotterdam, being below sea level, was vulnerable to flooding. This led to the construction of an enormous engineering and architectural feat, The Delta Works. It is a series of dams and its major component, the Maeslant Barrier, almost equivalent to the size of an Eiffel Tower, to protect Rotterdam in intense flooding situations. It snaps shut when a storm comes along, preventing excessive water from entering the water bodies and city. This blockage system took 40 years to create, along with heavy dents to the Treasury, but the cost of this protective measure is nothing as compared to the hundreds of billions of dollars this country has lost owing to hurricanes and floods.
In the heart of the city lies Water Square, which stores excessive rainwater in the rainy season. It is a multi-functional urban architectural execution, which adds to Rotterdam’s adaptative measures. When dried, it is a fully functional basketball court. Another is the Dak Park, or the rooftop park, a huge 1 km green stretch that also stores excessive rainwater. These small initiatives add to the purpose of spaces and using them to mitigate climate change. Rotterdam also has the concept of green roofs, where eco-friendly plants and small gardens are planted on the roofs of buildings. Green roofs reduce the temperature of the building and surroundings by 5 degrees and plantation goals are also achieved.
Rotterdam has introduced the concept of floating homes, where water architects specially designed homes to be flood-resilient and adaptative to changing sea levels. The home automatically adjusts itself with the level of water. It is not only a smart solution but also less prone to flood damage and disaster-induced displacement. Another remarkable construction near the beach town of Kotwick, where man-made dunes ensure the safety of town in case of floods and high tides. It also serves the purpose of car parking; it has a parking space of 700 cars and a football field. Overall, this whole city has marvelous examples of mitigation practices for the world to take notes and follow.
Since Rotterdam is a major port and gateway to western Europe, it attracts cargo ships responsible for carbon emissions. The city of Europe’s future took actions and now is committed to solutions to reduce its carbon footprints and become a carbon-neutral country by 2050. The port of Rotterdam has also collaborated with “Good Shipping,” the world’s 1st Carbon Insetting service, to promote sustainable shipping practices and reduce the use of plastic and decarbonized cargo shipments.
The world has a prolonged battle to fight. The nations need to unite to combat the cross-border issue of climate change. Promoting and adopting such small initiatives can take our mother Earth back to the healing phase. It is a dire need of time to act swiftly before the environmental degradation reached a point of no return.
The writer is a student of “Government and Public Policy” at National Defence University
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