Water management (SDG 6)

Vietnam's capital, Hanoi, is the second largest city in the country and is one of the most vulnerable to climate change. The city is located on the western bank of the Red River, the principal river of northern Vietnam. Throughout the centuries authorities in Hanoi built dykes to protect the city from the instability of the Red River. Though these dykes were built at a high altitude, the floods became more intense due to the huge amount of alluvium that rests in the middle of the river and that could not continue to consolidate on the banks and making water levels higher and more dangerous. Furthermore, outside the dykes, in the riverine zones (which play a role as green corridors to connect the city and the river) economically disadvantaged people built settlements contributing to soil erosion (caused by illegal construction and excessive sand exploitation), subpar soil quality, and poor waste management. (1,2)

The Red River Zoning Plan (RRZP) came as a solution to address the issues before mentioned and has been promoted by the Hanoi People’s Committee. The plan is encompassing an area of about 11,000 hectares in 13 districts. The plan was approved by the Hanoi People's Committee in March 2022 at a size of 1/5000 section from Hong Ha Bridge to Me So Bridge. (1,4)

According to the concept, a 40-kilometre-long new metropolitan area would be created on both banks of the Red River. This urban space would be a flood drainage area for downtown. It will be designed with a green landscape including public spaces for cultural and tourism purposes. For this, the city would invest in a network of transport and technical infrastructure to bolster connectivity in terms of roads and waterways with neighbouring areas. Particularly, the RRZP is building three types of new parks near the riverbanks, including a nature conservation park, an agricultural park, and an urban park to improve climate change adaptation and bring more natural elements to the city. (1, 4)

Neknampur Lake, also known as Ibrahim Bagh Cheruvu, located in Hyderabad, Telangana State of India, has historical importance and was part of a water reservoir network for irrigation and drinking as well as an inalienable part of the rural ecology of the village (1,2). Due to urbanization, the lake underwent drastic changes in ecology, land use and management in the past decade. Scientific investigations conducted by the Telangana State Biodiversity Board on Neknampur Lake highlighted that the water body was full of sludge and extremely eutrophicated, showing elevated algal growth (2). This was mainly because of the unabated entry of sewage and other waste over an extended period into the lake (1,2). In June 2016, The NGO named 'Dhruvansh' decided to adopt Neknampur Lake and thus began a series of interventions that incorporated bioremediation and phytoremediation techniques, regular cleanup drives of plastic removal and recycling campaigns into a restoration plan for the lake (1,2). With the support of the government institutions, 'Dhruvansh' began the revival of the lake across two phases: (1) the revival of the lake periphery and the lake body, followed by (2) the revival of the lake ecosystem (1,2). The ecological restoration of Neknampur Lake has improved the ecological services it provides and restores the glory of this historically significant lake, now known as a biodiversity hotspot (1,2,3,4).

The Upper Kinta River Basin covers an area of about 31,470 hectares above Ipoh City, and it is the main water catchment resource for the residents of the city and its surrounding areas. The Kinta river basin is now threatened by land erosion, land development, improper sewage treatment and irresponsible waste discharges (Ref 1). In 2021, a pilot project was implemented near the city of Ipoh along the SimpangPulai Highway and experimented with river bio-engineering techniques to reduce soil erosion and subsequently prevent sedimentation downstream (Ref 3). The pilot site was established as part of the Mainstreaming Biodiversity Conservation into River Management project, which focused on applying nature-based solutions for mainstreaming biodiversity into riverine landscape planning and watershed management in Malaysia. To provide seedlings for the bio-engineering project and also other related initiatives, a nursery was established in the indigenous Pawong Orang Asli Village. The nursery also provided additional income for communities (Ref 4). The pilot was developed with the expectation to be upscaled and replicated in other parts of the UKB, especially along the SimpangPulai Highway. (Ref. 6)

The International Cultural Garden Park (IC Park) is a comprehensive, private-sector-led, green development project in Yarmag, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Initiated in 2021 by the Ikh Uilsiin Ereld Group LLC on its own property land as part of its social responsibility, the planned area covers a 35 hectares (86 acres) site. First, an international design competition was announced to plan the project. As a result of this competition, a contemporary park concept was developed for Ulaanbaatar's New Center to convey an international concept, with designs of significant cultural and historical elements from over ten different nations. The IC Park will also serve as a venue for a variety of international events, including conferences, sporting competitions, cultural festivals, and more. Green technology is being used with particular attention throughout the park's construction, and more than 90 species of trees and about 50 species of natural perennials growing in Mongolia are planned to be planted with the cooperation of professional tree planting and gardening organizations, specialists, researchers, and scientists. As of today, more than 7,000 trees have been planted in the project area, and professional personnel are diligently working on their care and pruning. The project is expected to reduce the negative consequences of global warming, create a greener environment, and secure long-term employment. (Ref. 1, 2, 4, 7)

Bangladesh Forest Department (BFD), as a part of its annual development programme, has been leading the coastal afforestation programme to stabilize Bangladesh’s coastline and create green belt. In order to establish mangrove forests in coastal areas, specifically chars in the southern coastal zone, the Forest Department undertook an afforestation project in the new deltas developed in the Bay. Afforestation is being used in vulnerable coastal areas, where the initiative brought mangrove species to the region in order to act as shelters for the exposed coastal communities subject to powerful cyclones, tidal surges, coastal erosion, and other disasters. In terms of the severity of the effects of climate change, Bangladesh is at the forefront, especially for coastal populations, as their livelihoods are wrecked by storms. Nature-based Solutions (NBS) are emerging as significant instruments for coping with climate change, while traditional methods of prevention, such as hard flood defence, have proven to be impractical and unsustainable. Additionally, the project includes greening of the whole coastal regions including creation of strip gardens and home gardens to improve the biodiversity of the area and to stabilize the newly found land. Furthermore, the coastal afforestation project will also help to develop newly accreted land of an island (char) in the Bay of Bengal, which is being included with Bangladesh's mainland from 2021. [Ref 1,3,4,6]

As early as 2010, the then authorities of Malaysia announced plans to transform certain Malaysian cities into green cities. Motivations behind these actions focused on addressing environmental challenges such as carbon emissions, high temperatures, and a reconnection with nature. One of the cities where green ideas were to be implemented was Putrajaya, located 25 km south of Kuala Lumpur (Ref 3). As this is a very complex project, the initiative was being led by the Perbadanan Putrajaya (PPJ), which is a local authority that administers the Federal Territory of Putrajaya and is under the Federal Territories Ministry of Malaysia. In transforming Putrajaya into a green city, PPJ undertook 38% of its area to be developed into parks, lakes, and wetlands while the rest is reserved for government offices, commercial and residential development, public utilities, and amenities (Ref 1). Green actions involved the creation of a wetland (the largest constructed freshwater in Southeast Asia), the implementation of an Urban Farming Programme and Rooftop Farming programmes, as well as large-scale tree planting (Ref 2, 3). PPJ aims to transform Putrajaya into a green city by 2025 including Putrajaya Inter-Parks Ride, Pedestrian Walkways and Bicycle Lanes. Putrajaya’s efforts in the implementation of these green initiatives have received numerous awards & recognitions (Ref 3).

The Neela Hauz lake, part of the Neela Hauz biodiversity park, is a natural depression that was once a major source of drinking water for south Delhi, India (Ref 1). Due to nearby road construction and neglect, the lake was filled with solid waste and construction debris for many years. In 2015, based on the request of neighbourhood colonies, the Delhi High Court ordered the restoration of the lake. The Delhi Development Authority (DDA), in collaboration with the Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystem (CEMDE) of the University of Delhi, carried out the restoration and revival of the lake using a Constructed Wetland System (CWS). Using the help of natural landscaping composed of oxidation ponds, pebble beds, and furrows having aquatic plants, now the sewage from nearby residential colonies is treated before passing it to the lake (Ref 2). The wetland now converts approximately 1 million litres of sewage per day which has resulted in satisfactory water quality levels (Ref 1). The lake, along with the surrounding biodiversity park, attracts many migratory birds and is also a tourist attraction point in the city. The success story of the lake now has become a model case for the revival of other lakes in the city (Ref 1).

The project “Enhancing climate resilience of Gorakhpur by buffering floods through climate-resilient peri-urban agriculture” is part of the Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN) and financed by The Rockefeller Foundation. It was implemented by the Gorakhpur Environmental Action Group (GEAG) from June 2012 to May 2016 to demonstrate how ecosystem services generated by peri-urban agriculture can positively address the impacts of climate change in Gorakhpur, a city located in eastern Uttar Pradesh, India (Ref 1, 2). To be more specific, it was set out to “demonstrate flood risk mitigation through the preservation and improved management of open spaces by strengthening agriculture-based livelihoods in peri-urban areas” (Ref 1, 2). The main project outcomes were focused on conserving peri-urban agricultural land areas as they serve to climate-proof cities and build resilience, enhance the livelihood and food security of vulnerable groups in peri-urban areas, as well as establish sustainable and climate-resilient models (Ref 1). Activities like baseline surveys, field interventions, climate resilient extension systems, the adaptation of practices and research and advocacy were carried out to achieve the project outcomes (Ref 1). Additionally, the project has successfully improved the soil and water quality and developed special measures for waste management (Ref 1, 2, 3).

The Misheel Botanical Garden is a large park located in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, established in 2021 along the Tuul River. The project was carried out by "Misheel Group" LLC in cooperation with public actors and more than 100 customer organisations, within the framework of social and environmental responsibility. The project cost 2.1 billion MNT and covers 110,000 square meters of green space, which was beautified without disturbing the native vegetation. The center aims to maintain and restore the ecological balance of flora and fauna, increase the flow of the Tuul river basin by planting trees each year, and provide citizens with more leisure and recreation opportunities. The botanical garden includes a combination of green-blue infrastructure and offers the opportunity for people to relax and expand their knowledge about a healthy environment. The center features a laboratory for students of natural sciences, a basketball court, a sand volleyball court, leisure areas for the elderly and infants, a dedicated sand area, and access for strollers and people with disabilities. The center also includes a terrace with a view of the Tuul River, where visitors can relax, and host events and activities throughout the year, including the winter.
[Source: Information provided by the management team of this project, Ref. 1, 5]

In Senegal, urban flooding in the rainy season causes major damage to public and private infrastructure, and poses considerable social, economic and health-related risks to the human population, in particular the poorest. Poor drainage systems mean that rainwater floods the whole neighbourhood, paralysing transport, and economic activities and posing health and safety risks due to stagnation and contamination (e.g. increase in water-borne diseases). To respond to such emergencies, in 2015 several stakeholders (Senegalese government, local authorities in Dakar and the local community) initiated a project that aimed to build resilience to flooding in informal settlements of Dakar. The project consisted of building resilience to floods by focusing on 3 fields: 1) infrastructure (floodwater evacuation, solid waste management, urban gardening and greening); 2) policy (district flood contingency plans and national policy advice); and 3) capacity building (training and awareness building for beneficiaries and key stakeholders, with a special focus on empowering women). The project was concluded in 2017 however its benefits are still felt today by the inhabitants of Greater Dakar. (1,2,3)