Berlin, Bangkok’s new initiative to protect the city
Cities like Bangkok, Thailand, Berlin, Germany are experiencing disasters due to climate change. Scientists fear that Bangkok could sink by 2050. The city authorities are adopting various strategies to tackle the situation.
Bangkok locates just one meter above sea level. The sea level is rising by five millimeters every year.
Alex Face is a graffiti artist from Bangkok and a father of one. He is worried about the future of his home. He shared his thought, saying, “I am just building a house.
It costs a lot of money. I frequently think one day everything will submerge in water. Many people say that it will happen soon in the next ten years.”
Some parts of Bangkok have already sunk. For example, 20 km south of Samut Chin Temple area.
Recent climate change disasters have also hit Germany. The sewerage system has reached its maximum, as in Berlin.
So, it is not possible to hold water for a long time when heavy rain occurs. Then water enters the house entrance located in the low area, subway tunnel.
Karin Zikar, an engineer at the Berlin Water Management Office, is working on a new strategy for rainwater harvesting. Berlin’s sewerage system often does not cope. He informed, “Due to heavy rainfall, water management systems are often unable to control water. The water then overflowed and flooded the lowlands. “
Berlin wants to become a ‘Sponge City’ to handle the situation. It wants to absorb rainwater like a sponge. Since 2017, every new building in Berlin following Sponge City’s concept. This residential area in southeast Berlin is one such example.
An organization specializing in new construction techniques and rainwater management has provided Berlin advice since 2018.
Not even a drop of rainwater reaches the sewerage system in this system, said Hannah Krueger. About 90 percent of rainwater can catch in this way. This water goes through the pipes to the particular sewer system.
Bank Bangkok also wants to build a green roof to cope with the floods. Like Berlin, they want to retain rainwater temporarily and then use it for good. This is one of the many ways to give nature a chance in the concrete jungle. But more importantly, it is an attempt to prevent future floods.
