Holistic Approaches To Mitigate Flood Risks

Introduction

As a strong advocate for sustainable lifestyles and mitigating climate change impacts, for me it was shocking and concerning to learn that several coastal and peninsular communities are at a severe risk of flooding in less than a hundred years.

In the Netherlands, about 26% of the land is underwater, and if “emissions continue on current trends, the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change predicts 84 centimeters of sea rise by 2100, and as much as 5.4 meters by 2300” (O’Leary). This not only means the possibility of having to relocate millions of people, but it also means the fact that it could pose “a threat to food production and the availability of clean drinking water” (Hastings).

In Bangladesh, according to university researchers and NASA reports, “roughly 70 million people in Bangladesh now live in flood-prone areas [within 2 kilometers of a river], about 1.5 million more than in 2000.” Moreover, one example of even the current situation over there is “Korail, a poor neighborhood that has spread into a lake… [there, homes] are built on stilts and the neighborhood routinely floods during heavy rains” (Rising Flood Risks).

In China last year, “Guangdong province, an economic powerhouse home to 127 million people, has seen widespread flooding that has forced more than 110,000 people to be relocated, state media reported, citing the local government” (Gan, et al).

Causes

What is the cause of all of this? Well, many of these places have naturally low coastlines. As ice caps are melting, ice sheets like that in the Antarctic are so “large that [they exert] a gravitational pull on the oceans…[as they shrink], sea water will redistribute away from the South Pole, causing an additional rise” (O’Leary). Regarding why there are several people in danger, there is rapid population growth especially in underdeveloped areas. In response, oftentimes buildings are speedily constructed to give people a place to live, but with poor infrastructure to hold against the storms frequenting these regions.

Currently Implemented Solutions

As of now, these are some solutions being implemented in response to the drastic crises listed above:

1. The Netherlands: The Room for the River Program. The government is actively involved in this project where they aim to give back land to rivers at 30 locations. They are “moving dykes further inland [as well as building flood channels], allowing rivers to spread out over a wider area” (Room for the River).

   
   

2. Bangladesh: New methods for agriculture are being developed, like “floating farms” — “hammock[s] on which to plant seeds to grow bitter gourd, spinach…”, pond sand filtration systems to sustain clean water, etc. Citizens are constantly monitoring water levels, and homes are raised higher than 8 feet (Frayer).

3. China: Several “billions” of trees are being planted, dams have been built as early as 2006, and instead of relocation from areas with personal/agricultural values like the rice growing regions of the Yangtze, the government has invested in dams and, more recently, sponge city models (Kusmer). 

The Most Sustainable Approaches

We can learn from the numerous innovative projects many of these countries have been taking initiative on.

Right now, several regions tackle the issue of flooding by constructing concrete barriers/dams/walls/dykes. These might hold the water down at the moment, say for the next 50 years or so. However, if we continue on our current trend of emissions (which many countries are), sea levels will continue to rise. Nations that oftentimes contribute lesser amounts of greenhouse gases (such as the Netherlands with their bike infrastructure and Bangladesh which contributes to less than 1% of net carbon emissions) will have to bear the brunt of our consequences. 

Instead, let’s learn from the holistic approaches that people are taking, that value the earth, that can absorb and not deflect, that can stand strong for hundreds of years.

• The inspirational community efforts (such as the floating farms) that Bangladesh is taking to allow for fruitful harvests and sanitation shows the resilience and love they have for their soil, their water, their neighbors. 

• The Room for the River program in the Netherlands counteracts industrial practices by aiming to provide space, to give back land. 

  • When I went to the Netherlands once, the number of bikes and pedestrians I saw brought me joy to think about the positive, long-term impacts such efforts would bring. 

  • This also leads me to Chinese sponge city models, a solution I was introduced to while attending a virtual Columbia seminar, which aims to create infrastructure (i.e permeable pavements and bioswales) that act like a sponge to water.

The Message

What all of these ‘sustainable approaches’ have in common is that they are built around a simple mindset, with a goal to achieve a balance between the resources humans deserve as well as Mother Earth. 

By following such model examples, utilizing mapping/design tools, connecting to the community and reaching out to the government, we can restore a healthy connection, both in our land and through our minds with nature. 

* My blog post elaborating on steps we can take can be accessed here: thecleanthinker.wixsite.com/ecoinspire/post/planning-for-flooding

Works Cited

Research:

1. O’Leary, Naomi. “When Will the Netherlands Disappear?” POLITICO, 16 Dec. 2019, www.politico.eu/article/when-will-the-netherlands-disappear-climate-change/. Accessed 16 May 2025.

2. Hastings, Brett. “What Happens to the Netherlands If Sea Levels Rise? - Geographic FAQ Hub: Answers to Your Global Questions.” Geographic FAQ Hub: Answers to Your Global Questions, 21 Feb. 2025, www.ncesc.com/geographic-faq/what-happens-to-netherlands-if-sea-levels-rise/. Accessed 17 May 2025.

3. “Rising Flood Risks in Bangladesh.” NASA Earth Observatory, 31 Aug. 2022, earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/150274/rising-flood-risks-in-bangladesh. Accessed 16 May 2025.

4. Gan, Nectar, et al. “Massive Floods Threaten Tens of Millions as Intense Rains Batter Southern China.” CNN, 22 Apr. 2024, www.cnn.com/2024/04/22/china/china-guangdong-floods-intl-hnk/index.html. Accessed 17 May 2025.

5. “Room for the River.” Rijkswaterstaat [Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management], www.rijkswaterstaat.nl/en/projects/iconic-structures/room-for-the-river. Accessed 17 May 2025.

6. Frayer, Lauren. “Facing Floods: What the World Can Learn from Bangladesh’s Climate Solutions.” NPR, 26 Mar. 2023, www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2023/03/26/1165779335/facing-floods-what-the-world-can-learn-from-bangladeshs-climate-solutions. Accessed 16 May 2025.

7. Kusmer, Anna. “How China’s Nature-Based Solutions Help with Extreme Flooding.” The World from PRX, 31 July 2020, theworld.org/stories/2020/07/31/how-china-s-nature-based-solutions-help-extreme-flooding. Accessed 17 May 2025.

8. [Linked] Roxburgh, Helen. “China’s “Sponge Cities” Are Turning Streets Green to Combat Flooding.” The Guardian, 11 May 2018, www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/28/chinas-sponge-cities-are-turning-streets-green-to-combat-flooding. Accessed 17 May 2025.

Images: 

1. “Room for the River - Water Climate and Future Deltas.” Utrecht University, www.uu.nl/en/research/water-climate-and-future-deltas/storylines/flood-risk-management/integrated-flood-risk-management-in-practice/room-for-the-river. Accessed 16 May 2025.

Ilavska, Mia. “Sponge Cities: Urban Planning’s Answer to Flash Floods.” Meratch Water Management, 20 Jan. 2024, blog.meratch.com/2024/01/20/sponge-cities-urban-plannings-answer-to-flash-floods/. Accessed 17 May 2025.