From Bangkok to Miami, and coastal cities around the world have been built or planned defense system to protect millions of people and critical infrastructure, and from a more powerful storm surges and other effects of global warming.
Some urban planning and simply adapt more water.
But the climate proofing city or shoreline is expensive, by the New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg $ 20 billion plan to build a flood wall on the sea-level rise, levees and other defenses below.
The most vulnerable areas are those with the least resources to build such a defense, to protect their water or move to higher ground person. How to pay for these measures by the United Nations climate change negotiations, just completed in the German city Bonn Conference a thorny issue.
Cities around the world, what they are doing to prepare, is waging scientists say global warming, climate forces sampling:
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Rotterdam, the Netherlands. In one country, two-thirds of the population lives below sea level, the sea has been for centuries against the life and death issue.
The Dutch government is committed to its annual budget of about 1%, and its complex system of dikes, dunes and sea walls. Since 2003 has been improved to cope with the effects of climate change, - While planning begins.
In the 20th century, the focus is a series of wonderful maritime defense systems, including a large number of steel and concrete barrier that can move quickly to prevent storm surges.
However, the current technology embrace the philosophy of "Living with Water:" Flood is inevitable, it is better prepared for them, instead of creating more and more high dike may catastrophic failure.
Thousands of waterway connection, so basically as a big country sponge, absorbing sudden influx of water. Some areas have been designated as flood zones. Can float the house, has been building a sense.
Coastal countries have profuse offshore sand in strategic locations and natural wave motion in order to strengthen the defense of the dunes.
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Venice, Italy. Sea-level rise is a particular concern, which flood-prone city. It is expensive and in the realization of an oft-delayed system underwater obstacles raised by the event will be more than 43 inches (110 cm) flooding, higher than 31 inches (80 cm) levels, flooding the famous St. Mark's Square.
Systems built shallow lagoon islands, Venice, vulnerable to rising sea levels, because submarine sinking.
Constant flooding of the city's architectural gems considerable risk. Venice has experienced 10 events in 4 feet 7 inches (140 cm), since 1950, including the devastating 1966 floods. The new so-called Moses obstacle plan will cost more than 400 million euros. The first has been moved to the appropriate location in the recent days. Many remain skeptical Venetian project due to high cost of environmental risk concerns.
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London. Always wet low-lying country's capital, London has long been vulnerable to flooding - especially when the powerful storm sent water racing Thames.
But London already has a strong flood defenses: 570 yards long (half-a-kilometer-long) Thames Barrier, 10 giant steel gates, each five stories against high water.
Some people called since 1982, Thames Barrier - working - a more ambitious farther downstream flood defense system to be replaced or supplemented. But the British Environment Agency said the defense should hold until 2070.
Meanwhile, the environmental awareness of London to fight some of the other predicted effects of global warming, and promote better water management plans to expand the city's Victorian sewage networks, and the "urban greening" - to help plant trees and roofs Landscape Management urban heat island effect.
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Heat. South Florida is displayed as part of the many predictions of underwater sea level this century, one of the places. So, it is no surprise local leaders are seeking ways to adapt. Four South Florida, Miami - Dade County, the regional cooperation programs to address climate change. Their primary goal: to maintain the freshwater inland water and salt away.
The first action plan calls for more public transport, stemming the flow into the fresh water, sea water and the management of the area's unique ecosystem, enabling them to adapt.
Written plan, county regional sea-level data review, and is expected to rise over the next 50 years the 9-24 inches (23-61 cm), have been recorded in the past 100 years, rising 9 inches along the coastline.
Monroe County Administrator Roman Gastesi, who is responsible for the Florida Keys, "the yields doubled, said:" It would be hypocritical and hasty and irresponsible not to respond.
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New York City. Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced last week to defend America's major cities to climate change is one of the most ambitious plans. Recommend installation in lower Manhattan removable flood wall, in order to restore Jamaica Bay in Queens, from flood homes, bog standard repair time mobile phone and internet service providers.
Jobs in lower Manhattan and the slats may be deployed to form a movable system temporary flood wall. Highly dependent on the ground level and potential surges. The method is to use some of the Midwest along the river, and in the Netherlands, the government officials said.
Project also includes a 15 to 20 feet of the levee guarding part of Staten Island, the construction Rockaways dunes, construction of dams and gates barrier system prohibits a river from inland flooding, and possibly build a levee, a fairly large new In lower Manhattan, "port city" development.
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Bangladesh, low-lying delta nation of 153 million people, Bangladesh is one of the poorest countries in Asia, and rising sea levels facing extreme risk. Dhaka, the capital, major cities in the world, top of the list is considered the most vulnerable to climate change, according to a recent survey of risk analysis firm Maplecroft. The World Bank said that sea level rise 5 inches (14 cm), will affect the country's 440 miles (710 kilometers) along the coast, 20 million people live. Many of whom are homeless.
Bangladesh implementing two projects worth about $ 47 billion, involving forest growth in the coastal zone, building shelters house more layers popularity supination bore. Developed so far has provided $ 170 million fund.
Bangladesh was selected as the developed world is not doing enough to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to climate change, forests and Environment Minister Hasan Mahmud said: "In a recent speech in Dhaka." We want donors who make a greater contribution to our efforts. "
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Maldives, an upscale beach paradise for tourists, but also become a symbol of the dangers of climate change.
By hundreds of islands in the Indian Ocean, it is one of the world's most low-lying countries are very vulnerable to sea level rise.
Some scientists say the Maldives could disappear in a few decades, former President Mohamed Nasheed even made all 350,000 residents relocated to other countries.
Although other researchers say that these fears may be exaggerated, countries are taking measures to protect themselves.
Seawall around the capital Male in the 1980s after the flooding. That wall to protect the city, from the devastating tsunami of 2004, temporarily put the worst effects of the national water tracts.
The country's climate adaptation plan calls from vulnerable small island residents had moved to bigger and better protection.
It also created a new land through land reclamation to expand existing or create new islands to relieve overcrowding. Reclaimed land has been enhanced to better withstand rising sea levels.
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Bangkok, Thailand. Even in the obvious consequences of climate change, scientists clearly know, Bangkok - southern suburbs, adjacent to the Gulf of Thailand - is under serious threat of land subsidence.
Sea level rise projections suggest that Bangkok may be the 100-year flood risk, unless preventive measures. However, when the impact of the capital and suburbs in 2011, the worst flooding in half a century, and immediately trigger runoff water from the north, the dam failed to hold very heavy rain.
In the outskirts of the capital, an important corporate housing, industrial areas were destroyed. Therefore, the focus on the region a short-term solution.
The Government recently announced the winning total 290.9 billion baht ($ 9.38 million) in China, South Korea and Thailand floods and running water management plan, including the construction of reservoirs, spillways and obstacles.
Sea level rise solution to the problem is still under study.
"Building is not sustainable, said:" Seree Supratid, Rangsit University Climate and Disaster Center. "People have to adapt to nature, for example, you know that Bangkok would be submerged in the next 100 years, rising seas, then you have to learn to build your house in the flood did not reach it, put it up high or something."
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Cuba. Officials recently completed a study of the island's 3,500 miles (5,630 kilometers) of coastline, climate change impacts, their findings are so amazing that they did not immediately share the results with the public to avoid panic.
According to reports, the Associated Press exclusive access to sea-level rise will seriously damage the 122 Cuban town or even wipe their maps, to 2100. Scientists have discovered will be affected, and freshwater resources and arable land rendered infertile miles of beaches will be submerged. Seawater penetration into 1.2 miles (2 km), low-lying areas inland, sea rose nearly 3 feet (85 cm).
Those terrible computing has prompted systemic action in Cuba, the largest island in the Caribbean is one of the heavy reliance on the beach love European and Canadian tourists. In recent months, inspectors and staff have started fanning the demolition of the entire island's plan raze thousands of homes, restaurants, hotels and improvised pier in the game to restore most of the coast close to the natural state of things.
In the tourist resort of Varadero, the state faces a dilemma:, beachfront restaurant and hotel demolition threat to millions of dollars in annual tourism revenue, while allowing them to stay put option risk is very beach, is the main draw .
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MBEERE, Kenya. Although some African sea-level rise threatens coastal communities, the African continent is facing greater inland climate-related issues. Climate scientists are expected to result from changes in rainfall patterns in some areas of prolonged droughts, increased flooding in other parts. Small-scale farming communities, these changes can be disastrous, scarce water supply pressure is further increased.
Therefore, the focus on learning to adapt to climate change, adjusting farming methods, to improve water conservation work.
Mbeere District in Kenya, where people said they noticed a longer drought, headquartered in the UK charity Christian Aid teaching farmers to help them predict the season, but also know what growth, when the plant.
A messaging system to help farmers get the latest weather reports specific location.
Mohammed said: "We support them to access and interpret climate information and help them make forward-looking decisions, making them more suitable for farming forecast changing conditions, Adow Christian Aid." Farmers' living off the land and climate, as well as in Africa All depend on agriculture for their livelihood and well-being of small-scale farmers to small changes in weather patterns can be a big disaster. "
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Associated Press writer Raphael Satter in London, Jennifer Kay in Amsterdam, Farid Hossain in Dhaka, Bangladesh in Miami, Toby pounds; in Bangkok Thanyarat Doksone, Paul Haven in Havana and Colleen Barry in Milan, Italy, contributed to this report.
 
 



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