Cities Can Be Made Resilient to Climate Change with Nature-Based Solutions

Climate change is making its impact felt more and more every year. Not a day goes by that we do not experience an extraordinary weather event. Experts state that the La Niña (Cold phase) that has been experienced for the last three years has come to an end, and the El Nino effect, which is defined as the hot phase, will be seen this year. Emphasizing that cities play an important role in global warming, Dr. Instructor Member Bengi Korgavuş said, “The landscape, design and planning of cities have an important place in the fight against climate change.”

Yeditepe University Faculty of Architecture Deputy Dean and also Head of Urban Design and Landscape Architecture Department Dr. Instructor Member Bengi Korgavuş gave information about the dimensions of global warming and the impact of cities on global warming.

Stating that 2022 was hotter and drier than previous years, Korgavuş emphasized that the risk of drought is increasing, according to the data of the General Directorate of Meteorology.

1030 Unusual Weather Event Occurred

Reminding that there were 1030 extraordinary weather events in 2022, according to the data of the General Directorate of Meteorology, Korgavuş said:

“Almost all land areas are now seeing warmer days and heat waves and will continue to do so. According to NASA, 2022 was the third year in a row with the cooling effect of La Nina (cold phase), but it set the record as the fifth warmest year ever measured worldwide. It is estimated that the cooling effect of La Nina lowered global temperatures, and global average temperatures would have been much higher had it not been for La Nina. According to the UK Meteorological Office (UK Met Office), La Niña, which had a cooling effect for three consecutive years, ended in 2023 and the El Niño effect, which is defined as the hot phase, is expected this year. For this reason, the UK Meteorological Office predicts that 2023 will be one of the warmest years on record.”

13 Million People Lose Their Lives Every Year Because of This

Pointing out that climate change has many direct and indirect effects on environmental, social and human health, Bengi Korgavuş said, “According to United Nations data, environmental factors take the lives of approximately 13 million people every year. Climate change impoverishes societies by increasing the factors that impoverish people. Again, according to United Nations data, over the past decade, weather-related events have displaced an average of 23.1 million people each year and left many more vulnerable to poverty. “Most refugees come from countries that are most vulnerable and least prepared to adapt to the impacts of climate change,” he said.

Solution offers

Dr. Instructor Reminding that more than half of the world’s population lives in cities today, its member Bengi Korgavuş said, “Cities are responsible for 60-80 percent of energy consumption and 80 percent of carbon emissions, even though they cover only 3 percent of the total world’s surface. Cities where millions of people live are both the main actors of climate change and the areas that suffer the most ecologically, economically and socially from disasters related to climate change. For this reason, we need to make cities resistant to climate change.”

Korgavuş made the following suggestions for cities that are resistant to climate change:

“To limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, rapid and far-reaching transformations are required in land, energy, industry, buildings, transportation and cities. By increasing the green areas in the cities, it can contribute to reducing the amount of carbon dioxide and the heat island effect in the cities, cleaning the air, improving the water method of the city, and reducing the risk of flood, overflow and erosion. The use of permeable materials in cities, the creation of green infrastructure systems and rain gardens, and rainwater management can be used to meet water needs in cities suffering from water scarcity due to climate change. By increasing pedestrian-oriented design and public transportation systems, which give priority to pedestrian and bicycle use in transportation, fossil fuel use and transportation-related carbon emissions in cities can be reduced. In addition, it is possible to make cities resistant to climate change by using renewable energy sources, increasing recycling, nature-based solutions and disaster management plans in cities. ”

Source: (BYZHA) – Beyaz News Agency