Posts tagged with 'water'
Restoring Degraded Forests Could Bring Back Lost Rainfall, Cooler Temperatures
Restoring Degraded Forests Could Bring Back Lost Rainfall, Cooler Temperatures
Many people point to forest restoration as a way to curb climate change, where replanted forests sequester carbon in trees and soils. But emerging evidence shows that restoration can provide non-carbon climate benefits, too — in particular, reducing heat and regulating rainfall. Here’s what ...
South African Cities Show Commitment to Accelerate Water Resilience at 2023 UN Water Conference
South African Cities Show Commitment to Accelerate Water Resilience at 2023 UN Water Conference
South Africa’s cities are economic engines, drawing workers across the country and the continent. Of the country’s 58.8 million population, 68% live in urban areas. Between 2000 and 2014, urban area in South Africa expanded by 1,464 km2. Population projections ...
How Rapid Urbanization in Africa Compounds Water Challenges
How Rapid Urbanization in Africa Compounds Water Challenges
Africa’s population is growing faster than any other continent’s and its urban population is expected to more than double by 2050. This urban rapid growth, which is mostly sprawling “horizontal” growth, as the World Resources Report: Towards a More Equal City shows, is combining with climate ...
How Forests Near and Far Benefit People in Cities
How Forests Near and Far Benefit People in Cities
A New Yorker may not think about the forested Catskills Mountain Range upstate as she pours a glass of water. Londoners probably don’t consider the Amazon rainforest as they watch the rain falling on city parks. And folks in Addis ...
Map of tree cover loss in Brazil
How Forests Affect the Fate of Cities in Eastern Brazil
Global forest loss remains high. In 2021, the tropics lost 11.1 million hectares of tree cover, according to WRI’s latest analysis. This annual figure included 3.75 million hectares of loss within tropical primary rainforests, resulting in 2.5 gigatons of CO2 ...
Water Is Key to Our Economic Future: Why Aren’t We Investing in it Like We Should?
Water Is Key to Our Economic Future: Why Aren’t We Investing in it Like We Should?
Water ripples through many sectors of the global economy. Whether companies are in the business of hygiene or hamburgers, phones or pharmaceuticals, they all have water in their supply chain. It takes 12,000 liters of water to produce a single ...
US Infrastructure Bill Makes Headway on Climate, But More is Needed
US Infrastructure Bill Makes Headway on Climate, But More is Needed
Unprecedented extreme weather events have taken a heavy toll on people and communities across the United States, with loss of life and impacts on livelihoods that cannot be quantified. These events have also cost U.S. taxpayers $99 billion in damages last year ...
7 Major Transformations to Solve Urban Inequality
7 Major Transformations to Solve Urban Inequality
Owusu lives with his wife and four children in the Tantra Hills neighborhood of Accra, Ghana, where he shares his residence with five other tenants and their families. The house has a toilet and electricity, but the costs for both ...
‘Code Red for Humanity’: Sinking Indian Cities
‘Code Red for Humanity’: Sinking Indian Cities
The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report warns, “India will see increased heat waves and heavy rainfall events, while glaciers will melt further, along with more compound events from rising sea-levels like flooding.” The report further states that “unequivocal human ...
Improving Water Security Helps Reduce the Gender Gap in Mexico City
Improving Water Security Helps Reduce the Gender Gap in Mexico City
Water for human consumption is increasingly inaccessible, due to poor management, degradation of water sources, the effects of climate change and more. Marginalized groups — such as minorities, rural communities and women — are disproportionately affected by water security issues, and women often play a key ...
Lessons from Durban’s Approach to Water Resilience
Lessons from Durban’s Approach to Water Resilience
A decade ago, the South African city of Durban was facing severe water shortages. Dam reservoirs were decreasing at alarming rates, and were 20% lower than average levels. At least one in four residents were already living in water-stressed informal settlements. ...
Overcoming Risk Aversion to Accelerate Green Investments: Lessons from Mexico, Brazil and India
Overcoming Risk Aversion to Accelerate Green Investments: Lessons from Mexico, Brazil and India
By 2030, cities will house approximately 60% of the world’s population and already more than one in three urban dwellers lack access to at least one core service like reliable energy, clean water or affordable housing. Green, sustainable infrastructure, including ...
In Nairobi, Residents Redesign Public Spaces to Build Flood Resilience
In Nairobi, Residents Redesign Public Spaces to Build Flood Resilience
During Caroline Owala’s childhood, flooding during rainstorms was a normal occurrence. “When it rained, it would be very difficult for us to even sleep because the flooding would get into the houses,” she told WRI. Caroline grew up in Kibera, ...
Forests Near or Far Can Protect Water for Cities
Forests Near or Far Can Protect Water for Cities
Water is essential to human health and well-being. In cities, leaders strive to provide secure access to clean, safe and affordable water. In rural areas, farmers hope for adequate rain and healthy rivers to produce healthy crops. The coronavirus pandemic ...
The Number of People Affected by Floods Will Double by 2030
The Number of People Affected by Floods Will Double by 2030
Flooding has already caused more than $1 trillion in losses globally since 1980, and the situation is poised to worsen: New analysis from WRI’s Aqueduct Floods finds that the number of people affected by floods will double worldwide by 2030. According to data from ...
Right Menu Icon