Apr
30
Severe drought threatens to run taps dry in Cape Town
How did Cape Town deal with its “Day Zero” water crisis and what can we learn?
Intense drought in South Africa’s Western Cape Province has led the world-renowned city of Cape Town to the brink of “Day Zero”. Day Zero was the date at which residents would be forced to collect strictly rationed water supplies from shared distribution taps. Read More
Mar
13
Pakistani practice a pilot field with Salt Farm Texel
Salt Farm Texel (Netherlands) introduces ‘zero water’ vegetables in drought stricken South Africa.
The Texel initiative, known as S/Zout, features food products that emerge from a collaboration between Studio H and Salt Farm Texel, a Netherlands-based enterprise that grows salt-tolerant potatoes, carrots, onions, lettuce, cabbage and barley. Read More
Jan
4
this is the storm barrier Oosterschelde, the biggest of the storm surge barriers in the Netherlands
For the first time in the Dutch history, water managers decided to close all storm surge barriers in the country:
Aug
24
Damage of water flood in Alexandria after heavy rainfall
A new approach, the Anticipatory Flood Management (AFMA), will be used to make the Egyptian coastal city of Alexandria better prepared for severe flooding.
Dutch-based educational institute IHE Delft will lead a project.
The project will serve as an example for many other cities in the Arab region to make the switch from responding to anticipating to a disastrous flood. Read More
Jun
21
A quarter of the planet will experience severe water shortages one month per year by 2030.
Cities are highly vulnerable to climatic risks. Think of heatwaves, water scarcity and extreme rainfall.
What can cities do to become resistant climate proof? Let’s give an overview. Read More
Mar
16
We install LED lights in our house and then we step with a clear conscience in the aircraft for a holiday in Thailand.
Our brains and hearts are the biggest obstacles towards more sustainability. Technology is not the issue.
That concludes Scientias in an interview with the Norwegian psychologist Per Espen Stoknes. Read More
Mar
15
According to climate researchers, more rain than snow will fall in the Arctic. Moreover, oceans are getting hotter, and they’re also losing oxygen
According to climate researchers in the Netherlands, at the end of this century more rain than snow will fall in the Arctic. It was already known that, due to global warming, up to 60% more precipitation would fall in the Arctic.
The researchers now argue that it mainly involves rain, while scientists always presuppose the precipitation would be snow. Read More
Jan
30
Startup Events understands how important live events can be to the success of your startup.
12 Inspiring StartUp Events 2017 for you.
Startups try to attend as many events as possible, but not all the events can be compared to each other in their scope and efficiency.
We are sharing the list of the biggest startup events in 2017, choose those ones that you would like to attend and go ahead!
Jan
23
Helicopters release water bombs to stop the wildfire but they are afraid to use salty sea water because that damages the vegetation.
Cape Town, South Africa is running out of water. The city has been struck by severe drought and there is enough water for just 100 days.
Just like Sao Paulo in 2015, citizens are asked to conserve and reduce their water supply. Kevin Winter, lecturer at the University of Cape Town Environmental and Geographical Sciences:
“We can’t see any rain on the horizon. And right now, in terms of dam storage levels, we’re probably approaching the ‘100 days left of storage.
Jan
20
Pakistan is already vulnerable because of the different ethnic groups and religions. Also the country is one of world’s 36 most water-stressed countries and the situation gets worse. A civil war is not inconceivable
Scarcity of fresh water is the biggest world problem according to the Nature Conservancy. A lot of cities suffer under water stress.
A quarter of the planet will experience severe water shortages one month per year by 2030.
The Nature Conservancy is working on a variety of strategies to protect water at its source, increase water efficiencies, and engage corporate and municipal leaders, governments, urban residents and other institutions in watershed stewardship. They offer 3 strategies Read More
Jan
7
The port city’s historic fish market, which lies directly on the harbour, was filled with knee-deep water, while cars and busses driving along the water front flooded through the high tides.
Flooded streets and basements, cars underwater, dams overwhelmed – storm Axel brought great damage to parts of the Baltic coast in Germany last Wednesday.
Nov
5
Sundrop Farms: The company that’s growing food in the desert. Complete circular and green
This tomato farm in Australia is the first agricultural facility of it’s kind, combining solar power with desalination and countering the requirement for fresh water and fossil fuels.
The firm celebrated its grand opening in Port Augusta, South Australia, last Thursday.
Oct
14
The US President has declared a federal disaster for the storms and floods that struck 8 counties of Iowa during late August 2016.
Storming Water costs lives and a lot of money. Last winter, more than 15,000 homes and businesses in just eight council areas in the USA were flooded, a survey has revealed.
In October, the US President has declared a federal disaster for storming water and floods that struck 8 countries during late August 2016
The research for the Local Government Association found that councils were still helping flood-hit homes recover.
Councils are encouraging people to check if they are at risk of flooding this year, to sign up to flood warnings and make sure their homes are prepared. Read More
Aug
23
Even if global warming is capped at 2C, 20% of the world’s population will have to migrate away from coasts swamped by rising oceans.
Even if global warming is capped at governments’ target of 2C, 20% of the world’s population will be to migrate to higher area’s because of rising sea levels.
Countries like the Netherlands and Bangladesh and cities including New York, London, Rio de Janeiro, Cairo, Calcutta, Jakarta and Shanghai would all be submerged because of melting polar ice caps and sea-level rise. Read More
Jul
7
SF doesn’t know which neighborhoods will be worst hit after a given storm, but they do know sea levels are rising, and that with climate change, those hurricanes off Mexico’s Pacific Coast could come north some day. They don’t know when or how severe, but we could get a 25 foot storm surge at some point.
In San Francisco (SF), where the waterfront has been a political battleground for decades, sea-level rise is too easy to ignore.
While SF is less vulnerable to rising sea levels than other parts of the Bay Area, portions of areas bordering the bay would be at risk.
The challenge is to accommodate the bay’s impending expansion as it rises because of our warming planet. And to accomplish that in a way that won’t put our human and environmental resources at risk. Read More
Jun
2
The next days, the water level in the rivers Rhine, Waal and IJssel, will reach maybe the highest level ever in summer times
Will we keep our feet dry? Rivers are rising fast!
Since May 31th, it’s awfully raining in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. It looks like the monsoons we know from South East Asia.
The next days, the water level in the rivers Rhine, Waal and IJssel, will reach maybe the highest level ever in summer times. A water level of more than 14 meters above sea level is not usual for this time of year. Read More
May
12
Women plant mangroves to protect the land against Sea Level Rising
Mangrove, the tree that captures carbon, filters saltwater, and stops storms
Delta Areas will be protected by an International Coalition.
That’s the result of the international climate conference ‘Adaptation Futures’, May 11th in Rotterdam.
Countries agreed to work together to create resilient urban delta areas against a rising sea level rising because of the climate change. Read More
Mar
1
Hut’s research showed that data from temperature-sensing waders worn by the public and shared with scientists, can be used to decide where the most interesting places are to do more detailed and more expensive research.
A flooding costs billions.
Scientists can predict a flooding or droughts using sensors in a river or ditch. With the new sensing pair of waders, fishermen around the world, help scientists.
This new technology is a lot cheaper.
Dec
7
Royal Lancaster infirmary running on generator after flooded substation cuts electricity to 55000 homes and businesses in north Lancashire.
Floodings hit tens of thousands of homes in the region of Lancaster in western England. Households don’t have electricity.
According to the BBC, the majority of 55,000 homes in and around Lancaster are without power. Read More
Oct
23
Porous concrete on roads means: less traffic noise and the end of splashing water and aquaplaning
In Europe we know this permeable or porous concrete saves may lives during the year. Why? Because the road stays dry, even with stormy weather. And we will face an increasing lot of storms the upcoming years.
A lot of countries don’t invest in permeable concrete. But maybe this system will change their minds.
Porous concrete on roads means: less traffic noise and the end of splashing water and aquaplaning
The average motorist appreciates the comfort of the porous coating. But there are also disadvantages:
Sep
30
From 1950 to 1980 the number of people living in favelas in Rio de Janeiro alone increased from about 170,000 to more than 600,000, and by the early 21st century it was estimated that there were as many as 1,000 favelas there.
Given the rate of change, our world will be a very different place by 2040. More and more people are moving to cities.
How will billions of city-dwellers access what they need without putting intolerable strains on the planet?
How can we plan now for more sustainable ways of life in a radically different world?
In this post you will find six advices for megacities (a population in excess of 10 million people) Read More
Sep
11
The underground water buffer creates a robust freshwater supply, without expensive reversed osmosis
Climate change must take into Northern parts of the world with wetter winters and drier summers. That means less fresh water in the period when farmers there are most in need.
Underground water buffers will help the farmers. Since the summer 2015, a new underground water storage technique has been tested successfully. Read More
Sep
11
Catastrophe in Japan because of floods
In Japan, floods have caused devastations. Torrential rains are associated with former Tropical Storm Etau shifted north after dumping unprecedented rainfall on parts of eastern Japan, last Wednesday and Thursday.
More than a hundred thousand people had to flee because of the high water, which sometimes even carried houses along.
Read More
Aug
17
Maximising data driven technology in the Agriculture
In previous blogs we mentioned the increasing issues in dry areas in the world. Think of Sao Paulo, Brazil and California, USA, with almost no water anymore in lakes, rivers and aquifers.
All kind of measures have been taken to increase the water use of people and industries. But which technologies are available to increase the water use in agriculture and still can rely on better harvests?
Read More
Jun
30
Drip irrigation’s compostable plastic pipes for sustainable agriculture
Israel’s turnaround came with a seven-year drought, one of the most severe to hit modern Israel, that began in 2005 and peaked in the winter of 2008 to 2009.
The country needed to introduce measures and become drought resistant.
Now, the country has enough water for people, industries and agri.
What did they do? Lessons learned from a country where every drop of water counts.
Read More
