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CNN's 'Innovative Cities' Explores Inventions That Combat Climate Change

2018-03-15 09:34 2909

Sydney and Ahmedabad among the 5 cities featured in a 30-minute special airing on March 17

HONG KONG, March 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- By 2050, the world's major cities will be crowded by six and a half billion people. Pollution, inequality and changing climates threaten the living standards that cities can offer. Yet people designed these problems and people can design their solutions. Join CNN International Correspondent Matt Rivers as he presents inventions from 5 diverse cities that are embracing sustainable projects which combat the pressures modern cities face. CNN's 'Innovative Cities' meets with innovators in the UK and Ghana that are turning to natural resources, yet surprisingly reducing their carbon footprint. While scientists in the Netherlands and India are finding ways to protect their citizens from the ravages of climate change, whether it's rising sea levels or extreme temperatures. And in Australia, a new approach to urban planning melds nature with modern cool in the world's largest vertical garden. 

Innovative Cities: Central Park, Sydney's newest landmark
Innovative Cities: Central Park, Sydney's newest landmark

Highlights of the 30-minute special below:

Sydney's $2 billion central park

You've heard of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. But Sydney's newest landmark is a mixed-use sustainable development that's redefining urban planning. It's called Central Park - and the last two buildings in this $2 billion complex are nearing completion. The award-winning centrepiece building, One Central Park, sold out almost as soon as it opened and features the world's largest vertical garden. It was designed by an "all-star" architectural collaboration that included Jean Nouvel.

Ahmedabad Cool Roofs

The cool roofs initiative is a simple solution with the potential to save lives and protect those most vulnerable from the harmful effects of climate change in Ahmedabad, India. It is part of the city's heat action plan to reduce the number of heat related deaths. Anjali Jaiswal, Senior Attorney and Director of the India Initiative of the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) and Dileep Mavalankar, Director at the Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar elaborate on their plans.

London Timber Construction

London architects are embracing '21st Century Timber' as a low-carbon construction material. With the huge amount of water and energy that's required to build with cement and steel, some construction sites in the UK are turning to engineered hardwoods, such as cross-laminated timber, to cut down on time and waste. The prefabricated building materials can be fine-tuned to the architect's specifications and are lighter -- weighing a fifth of concrete.

Accra Waste Treatment

Ghana's first fecal treatment plant is cleaning up Accra and providing sustainable energy. The country's first modern treatment plant became operational in 2017 and the resulting biogas that's captured from the decomposing sewage is being used to power the plant. Further, the residual sludge from the plant is also turned into charcoal and compost. The creators of the charcoal say that the feces-based burning material works better than wood and saves trees from being felled.

Rotterdam Flood Protection

With much of their country below sea level, the Dutch have always had to innovate to keep themselves dry. From man-made lakes to parks that double as reservoirs for excess water, part of the solution, it seems, lies in living with the water, rather than resisting it with large, unsightly levees. The first line of defense for the city of Rotterdam is the Maeslantkering, a sea gate that is the size of two Eiffel Towers. Opened in 1997, the gate protects the Rotterdam's port, with plans to add another two feet to its height underway. But as sea levels rise, the stakes are getting even higher. And for some entrepreneurs in the Netherlands, it spells opportunity. CNN travels to Rotterdam to explore some of these recent innovations, including the Delta Flume, a wave simulator that can help researchers understand what it takes to withstand storm surges and tides, and the Sand Motor, an experiment in coastal management.

'Innovative Cities' microsite: http://money.cnn.com/technology/innovative-cities/ 
'Innovative Cities' trailer: http://cnn.it/2FIDXr6

Airtimes for 30-minute special:

Saturday, 17th March at 2030 and 2330 HKT
Sunday, 18th March at 0330, 0830 and 1130 HKT
Tuesday, 20th March at 1730 HKT
Wednesday, 21st March at 0030 and 1630 HKT
Thursday, 29th March at 1630 HKT

About CNN International

CNN's portfolio of news and information services is available in seven different languages across all major TV, digital and mobile platforms reaching more than 450 million households around the globe. CNN International is the number one international TV news channel according to all major media surveys across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Asia Pacific region and Latin America and has a US presence which includes CNNgo. CNN Digital is a leading network for online news, mobile news and social media. CNN is at the forefront of digital innovation and continues to invest heavily in expanding its digital global footprint, with a suite of award-winning digital properties and a range of strategic content partnerships, commercialised through a strong data-driven understanding of audience behaviours. Over the years CNN has won multiple prestigious awards around the world for its journalism. In addition, around 1,000 hours of long-form series, documentaries and specials are produced every year by CNNI's non-news programming division, CNN Vision. CNN has 36 editorial offices and more than 1,100 affiliates worldwide through CNN Newsource. CNN International is part of Turner, a Time Warner company.

Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180314/2079712-1

Source: CNN International
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