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Giving Mother Nature a Hand

Zdenka Kovarikova

August 03, 2021 |

Transitions Online |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Czech Republic

Cervene Pecky and Dolany, two small towns in Prague, were able to fix their flooding problems through a process known as land consolidation. Prior to the land consolidation, the towns would get flooded by rainwater. Through land consolidation, property owners are able to redraw property lines. Thanks to the consolidation, the field that emptied into Dolany is now covered in grass, trees, and ditches.

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9 Potential Solutions to Keep Chicagoans Safer From Fires

Cecilia Reyes Madison Hopkins

August 02, 2021 |

Better Government Association |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

Many cities have experienced tragic deaths in rental apartments, but Chicago's poor record in this realm is compounded by officials' refusal to concede systemic problems. So, to follow up on an earlier report about those problems, reporters compiled a list of nine effective policies and which other cities use them. In each of the areas, Chicago has failed to adopt policies that in other places have made fire safety a priority, starting with routine inspections, effective enforcement of regulations, and licensing and tracking of landlords to more easily spot scofflaws.

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When earthquake and storm unite: Sarapiquí's early alerts

Alfonso Gatgens

July 30, 2021 |

El Colectivo 506 |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Costa Rica, Sarapiquí

Early warning systems in Sarapiquí have proven effective in the wake of natural disasters. After hurricanes in 2016 and 2017, “institutions were able to carry out and fulfill their tasks” in response to alerts. Funding for the systems has been approved by other communities that wish to replicate the results.

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Fighting fire with fire

Amanda Monthei Zoeann Murphy Lo Bénichou Shikha Subramaniam Dylan Moriarty

July 29, 2021 |

The Washington Post |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Seeley Lake, Montana

Regular burns of forests in the American West historically occurred naturally or as a forest management tactic by Indigenous people, but suppressing all fires has been the predominant policy for well over a century. As a result, what would be small fires that benefit flora and fauna have turned into giant, uncontrolled wildfires that feed off uncleared brush and deadwood. The Forest Service and others use prescribed burns, in fairly limited ways at this point, to prevent bigger fires in the future. More could be done but budgets are consumed fighting the many uncontrolled wildfires.

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Meet the People Burning California to Save It

Emma Cott Caroline Kim Elie Khadra

July 29, 2021 |

The New York Times |

Video |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Sonoma, California

Prescribed burns are an ancient method of preventing more destructive, out-of-control wildfires. They fell into disuse for decades, worsening today's wildfire risks. California and federal forestry officials want to "treat" 1 million acres per year by 2025 with tree- and brush-clearing and prescribed burns. But they are running far behind that pace as government resources get consumed by the need to fight wildfires. Private crews could expand the capacity to conduct prescribed burns, but financial liability and other barriers must be removed first.

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This Is the First Ecosystem With Its Own Insurance Policy

Oliver Gordon

July 20, 2021 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Mexico

In Mexico, the Mesoamerican Reef, a 100-mile long coral reef system, the second largest in the word, is insured. The insurance policy is the result of a collaboration between the local government, hotel owners, an international NGO, and an insurance company who saw the value of protecting the reef. After Hurricane Delta, the insurance first kicked in, the insurance paid out $850,000. The money was used to uproot 2,152 coral colonies and close to 14,000 coral fragments. The model could be an example of future moves to insure the environment.

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Cooler, Cleaner Megacities, One Rooftop Garden at a Time

Marianne Dhenin

July 08, 2021 |

Yes! Magazine |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Egypt, Cairo

Organizations in Egypt and Bangladesh are greening their cities by turning rooftops into urban gardens that can grow food, reduce air pollution, and decrease air temperatures. Green Savers in Dhaka has installed more than 5,000 rooftop gardens in the city and Urban Greens in Cairo partners with sponsors to install hydroponic rooftop gardens for families experiencing economic hardship. It’s been a challenge to convince people that the cost to maintain these spaces is worthwhile, but through community outreach efforts, these organizations have seen an increase in interest in installing rooftop gardens.

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Indian Cities Prepare for Floods with Predictive Technology

Deepa Padmanaban

June 15, 2021 |

Eos |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: British Indian Ocean Territory

In coastal cities in India, floods have led to hundreds of deaths and millions of people being displaced. To address the issue, scientists had to address a variety of factors: hydrology of the upstream region; river, tidal, and storm surge modeling; and a high-resolution digital elevation map of the city. A group of scientists from 13 research institutes and government organizations looked at all those factors and came up with a real-time flood forecasting system. It generated 800 flood scenarios. When it rains the model predicts the most vulnerable sites.

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The force that could redraw the peninsula of India

Kamala Thiagarajan

June 15, 2021 |

BBC |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: India

In the South Indian coast, erosion is leading to disappearing beaches. A study found that this erosion was in part due to man-made structures like a harbor that was built in the late 80s, groynes, and seawalls. These structures were interfering with the natural movement of sand. To fix it, they needed a structure that could block waves but also allow sand movement, the solution? An artificial reef. It was installed and some beaches are already seeing the results.

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Hotels for those left unhoused by wildfires

Hanna Merzbach

June 03, 2021 |

High Country News |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Oregon

Hotels and motels are being converted into free housing for people experiencing housing instability in Oregon. Project Turnkey is a state-funded initiative that buys potential housing units and puts local organizations in charge of running them. The program was a response to displaced victims of wildfires that tore through a number of communities in 2020 but future plans include housing people experiencing homelessness for any reason.

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