Not long ago, the concept of a floating metropolis was the material of science fiction. Today, the world’s first floating cities are set to rise from the waters of the port city of Busan in South Korea and the Maldives archipelago, where rising sea levels pose an existential threat to the low-lying island nation.

Gabriela Díaz

<p>As this emerging industry gains momentum, the benefits of floating infrastructure are increasingly being recognized. For the first time, floating urban development was included in an <a href="https://gca.org/five-things-you-should-know-about-the-latest-ipcc-report/">IPCC report</a> this year. The city of Rotterdam, Netherlands, where the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is headquartered in <a href="https://gca.org/gca-moves-to-worlds-largest-floating-office-a-model-of-self-sufficient-climate-resilient-design/">the world’s largest floating office</a>, is highlighted in the report for its expanding floating housing market and its <a href="https://www.blue21.nl/portfolio/floating-pavillion/">floating pavilion</a>, which is cited as a model of transformative urban adaptation.</p>
<p>Moreover, with more than half of the planet covered in water, there’s plenty of space to expand.<br/><br/>Ninety-five experts, entrepreneurs, researchers and participants from around the world explored these benefits at the <a href="https://gca.org/events/global-knowledge-exchange-event-on-floating-resilient-development/">Knowledge Exchange on floating development</a> organized by GCA’s <a href="https://communities.adaptationexchange.org/">Water and Adaptation Community</a> (WAC). <br/><br/>Below are five reasons why experts agree that floating development is a promising adaptation and environmental solution – and likely here to stay.</p>
<h1><strong>1. Floating infrastructure is designed to rise with water levels.</strong></h1>
<img src="https://illuminem.b-cdn.net/articlebody/f1f62b8d79203399dea891346a49b71739d06e13.png" alt="Figure 1: The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is headquartered at the world’s largest floating office in Rotterdam, the Netherlands">
<p>A consequence of global warming, sea level rise is accelerating and could be a meter higher by 2100, according to the IPCC – an alarming projection considering that half of the world population lives within 100 km of the coast. What better way to adapt, not just to rising seas, but to extreme weather and flooding, than by designing infrastructure that cannot be submerged? Take the Netherlands, for instance, a flood-prone country that lies mostly below sea level, where climate change and rising sea levels pose grave threats. Instead of viewing water as the enemy, the Dutch have embraced it and boast a long history of <a href="https://gca.org/reports/living-with-water-climate-adaptation-in-the-worlds-deltas/">adapting to water based risks</a>. A world leader in water management, this densely populated country is a pioneer in floating development that can be moved as needed – from floating communities and a floating farm, to floating solar and food production technology.<br/><br/>Based on the premise that water can provide a flood-resilient living space, the Dutch research initiative <a href="https://www.nioz.nl/en/blauwe-route/blauweroute/leven-op-het-water-drijvende-toekomst">Floating Future</a>, a coalition of more than 30 stakeholders including universities, research professionals, companies, NGOs, and government agencies, creates floating demonstration islands to generate knowledge about floating construction. The technique to develop the islands could become a unique Dutch export product for low-lying, densely populated delta regions around the world.</p>
<h1><strong>2. Cities are overcrowded and we’re running out of sand for land reclamation. Floating development offers a more eco-friendly alternative.</strong></h1>
<img src="https://illuminem.b-cdn.net/articlebody/c7c82a73c9f7ca8bb25d201e0c56737dd6b71daa.png" alt="Figure 2: Sand mining in Maharashtra, India">
<p>Today’s cities only provide 40% of the space required to house the world’s population by 2050. Most cities create space through land reclamation – however, we are running out of sand, <a href="https://www.blue21.nl/">Blue21</a> Project Coordinator Vicky Lin <a href="https://gca.org/events/webinar-how-can-floating-development-help-adaptation-to-climate-change/">warned</a>.<br/><br/>“Sand is the most extracted resource on the planet,” said geographer Dr. Chris Hackney, from Newcastle University in the United Kingdom. Dr. Hackney highlighted that we extract around 50 billion tons of sand every year, mostly for construction, but also to make silicone chips, and to filter water and wine. Industrial scale extraction is a grave threat to freshwater ecosystems and it degrades water quality, he explained.<br/><br/>Floating development offers an alternative to this practice by creating living spaces on the water.<br/><br/>Floating structures can also provide green spaces and improved water quality. Nature-based solutions like floating gardens and wetlands offer habitats for aquatic life such as mussels and fish.</p>
<h1><strong><strong>3. Floating agriculture, gardening and farms provide urgently needed space for food production.</strong></strong></h1>
<img src="https://illuminem.b-cdn.net/articlebody/ec58a566c3ba660b893e21722c3bb60f12a1d336.png" alt="Figure 3: The world’s first floating farm, also in Rotterdam, the Netherlands">
<p>“If we continue to harvest and produce food the way we do, by 2050 we will have a shortage of land the size of North America,” said Ms. Lin.<br/><br/>Floating development provides ample space for food production, as well as helping communities adapt to intensifying climate impacts, such as flooding, which decimates agricultural yields.<br/><br/>In Bangladesh, the age-old tradition of <a href="https://gca.org/these-farmers-in-bangladesh-are-floating-their-crops-to-adapt-to-climate-change/">floating agriculture</a>, which dates as far back as the 1600s, is gaining momentum as an innovative climate adaptation strategy and Nature-based Solution, explained Dr. Haseeb Md. Irfanullah, a Dhaka-based independent environment and climate change consultant. Supple water hyacinths are used to build a floating base on which to grow seedlings or vegetables without the need for soil. This low cost, agricultural method is particularly useful in Bangladesh, a low-lying, extremely flood-prone country.<br/><br/>On the other side of the world, the port of Rotterdam is home to the world’s first floating dairy farm, run by CEO Peter van Wingerden. The three story farm houses 40 free range cows and produces cheese and organic fertilizer. The floating farm is a scalable project. “Water is universal,” said Mr. van Wingerden. “We designed something we can copy everywhere in the world.”<br/><br/>The Dutch company <a href="https://www.floating-future.com/">Floating Future</a> – not to be confused with the research initiative – is a team of scientists, biologists, and engineers, develops floating technology to enable food production all over the world. They are developing ‘food islands’ that can be linked together, where crops can grow using hydroponics.</p>
<h1><strong><strong><strong>4. Floating development can provide us with renewable energy, like solar and wind power.</strong></strong></strong></h1>
<img src="https://illuminem.b-cdn.net/articlebody/dcbec3954c53bc90e35229f02471a060d63637f9.png" alt="Figure 4: Waterschap Rivierenland’s floating solar project, INNOZOWA, in the Netherlands">
<p>One of the disadvantages of solar farms is that they take up a lot of space. In the case of wind energy, remote sites are the most suitable for wind turbines. Moving these systems to the water could offer a solution.<br/><br/>“We have a lot of water in Holland, so the potential [for floating solar] is really, really big,” said Bjorn Purdon, of the Rivierenland Water Authority, which started an <a href="https://innozowa.nl/">innovative project</a> to develop floating solar systems on shallow waters, such as canals and pools. <br/><br/>Floating solar photovoltaic panels, which convert thermal energy into electricity, are lightweight and storm-safe – they can be submerged and protected in stormy weather. The Water Authority has started researching the environmental impact of floating solar energy, but the long-term impacts of this method are currently unknown. Because the commercial solar market has expanded significantly, there is a pressing need to continue to monitor the long-term environmental impacts of floating solar, particularly on inland water bodies.</p>
<h1><strong><strong><strong><strong>5. Floating infrastructure can also be affordable.</strong></strong></strong></strong></h1>
<img src="https://illuminem.b-cdn.net/articlebody/4d752aa5c0c67ad080598005b845536a885c701f.png" alt="Figure 5: Cost-effective, flood resilient model house with amphibious, buoyant foundation developed by NestAbide in India">
<p>Low-cost floating housing options are being developed around the world. In flood-prone India, NestAbide, an architectural firm that works on technologies used in flood scenarios, is developing affordable amphibious floating homes.<br/><br/>“Adaptation is not easy, but we are trying to do everything possible to make this technology – amphibious housing – as economical as possible. Everyone needs a chance to stay afloat to live and thrive. We are working on realizing amphibious buildings in Kerala and simultaneously working on the legal framework and demand creation of both amphibious and floating city developments,” said Co-founder of NestAbide Er. Nanma Gireesh, 28.<br/><br/>The Netherlands-based enterprise <a href="https://www.finchfloatinghomes.com/">Flinch Floating Homes</a> uses a barrel floating foundation and prefabricated design tailored to meet the needs of Filipino families while protecting them from flooding.<br/><br/>The startup company <a href="https://nets23d.com/">Nets23D</a>, based in South Africa, recycles fishing nets, turning them into modular structures and 3D printing compounds to build resilient and affordable floating infrastructure.<br/><br/>“Floating development is such an exciting space to be in because we can use this as an opportunity to rethink how things are done and take the best of what works from on land, but do brave and sustainable structures on water,” said Nets23D CEO Rosalie Akerman.</p>
<p><em>This article is also published by the <a href="https://gca.org/5-reasons-why-floating-development-is-set-to-take-the-world-by-storm/">Global Center on Adaptation</a>. Illuminem Voices is a democratic space presenting the thoughts and opinions of leading Sustainability &amp; Energy writers, their opinions do not necessarily represent those of illuminem.</em></p>


5 reasons why floating development is set to take the world by storm

Wetlands stabilize coastlines, buffer against extreme weather events, and reduce the risk of soil erosion. Wetlands are disappearing at an alarming rate all over the world: three times faster than forests. These areas of land that are partially or totally covered with water – permanently or seasonally – include marshes, swamps and bogs. Along with coral reefs and rainforests, wetlands are among the world’s most biodiverse ecosystems.


<p>Wetlands stabilize coastlines, buffer against extreme weather events, and reduce the risk of soil erosion.</p>
<p>Wetlands are disappearing at an alarming rate all over the world: three times faster than forests. These areas of land that are partially or totally covered with water – permanently or seasonally – include marshes, swamps and bogs. Along with coral reefs and rainforests, wetlands are among the world’s most biodiverse ecosystems.<br/><br/>“Healthy wetlands are biodiversity hotspots that can greatly contribute to building climate resilience and are efficient in sequestering carbon in its soil and biomass. Wetlands are nature-based solution constructed and maintained by nature itself. However, between 1970 and 2015, approximately 35 percent of the world’s wetlands were lost, and the destruction of wetlands is accelerating,” said Joep Verhagen, Program Lead of GCA’s <a href="https://gca.org/programs/water/">Water and Urban</a> Team.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.unep.org/events/un-day/world-wetlands-day-2022">World Wetlands Day</a>, celebrated in February for the first time as a United Nations international day, aims to save the world’s wetlands and raise awareness about their crucial role for the planet. In this spirit, and as the only international organization dedicated exclusively to climate adaptation, we are highlighting just how important wetlands are to adaptation and climate action:</p>
<h1>1. Wetlands are Fresh Water Stores</h1>
<p>Wetlands absorb excess water and precipitation, which means they are nature’s disaster management systems, helping with flood alleviation, a necessity considering the devastating floods that have wreaked havoc around the world in recent years. Wetlands, including <a href="https://www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/documents/library/wwd2009-leaflet-high-e.pdf">underground aquifers and man-made reservoirs</a>, also provide water storage and purification through the plants and microorganisms that they house, a magnificent adaptive quality, particularly in countries that face long periods of drought.</p>
<img src="https://illuminem.b-cdn.net/articlebody/20019b5e65f0398eefdabc1611659df9a7a14d41.png" alt="A scientist measures water depth to install water level data loggers in a coastal wetland to understand the inundation period and impact on ecosystem services">
<h4>2. Wetlands Protect Life</h4>
<p>Mangroves and other coastal wetland ecosystems are well known storm buffers, providing a natural shield against storm surges and tsunamis and decreasing their power. They also play an important role in the recovery phase after powerful storms, providing coastal communities with <a href="https://www.wetlands.org/publications/wetlands-and-climate-change-adaptation-brochure-2/">sources of food and building materials</a>. In addition, wetlands offer a safe haven for biodiversity during and after storms.</p>
<img src="https://illuminem.b-cdn.net/articlebody/9b405d4181c1d7367903ae5c6e7da52ff5acfeab.png" alt="Mangrove forests helped shelter residents in Siargao, the Philippines from storm surges during the onslaught of Typhoon Rai">
<h4>3. Wetlands are Biodiversity Hotspots</h4>
<p>Wetlands provide shelter, breeding and nesting grounds for many species of birds and aquatic fauna. Mangroves are often referred to as nurseries for the world’s seafood supply including fish. These marine forests <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2021/12/restoring-coastal-forests-can-protect-coral-reefs-against-sediment-runoff-study/">protect coral reefs</a> and their biodiversity as they trap sediment coming from inland areas. Inland waters house <a href="https://www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/documents/library/wwd2009-leaflet-high-e.pdf">40 percent</a> of the world’s fish species and wetlands and their surrounding areas are home to approximately <a href="https://www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/documents/library/wwd2009-leaflet-high-e.pdf">25 to 30 percent</a> of the world’s entire vertebrate biodiversity.</p>
<img src="https://illuminem.b-cdn.net/articlebody/c2ab836e8e13c96dc8726ca1d2e853ede226d942.png" alt="Wetlands serve as breeding and nesting grounds for birds and aquatic fauna

">
<h4>4. Wetlands are Carbon Sinks</h4>
<p>Wetlands capture CO₂ from the atmosphere, making them nature’s own solution to the climate emergency. In fact, they store more carbon than any other ecosystem on Earth, and peatlands alone store <a href="https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/wetlands-unsung-heroes-planet">twice as much as all the world’s forests</a>. According to <a href="https://www.ramsar.org/">Ramsar</a>’s Scientific and Technical Review Panel, wetlands cover only nine percent of the planet’s surface, but store up to 35 percent of terrestrial carbon. Unfortunately, this means that the drainage or destruction of wetlands can cause <a href="https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/wetlands/ecology/processes-systems/carbon-cycle.html#citation-reference-7">significant carbon emissions</a>.</p>
<img src="https://illuminem.b-cdn.net/articlebody/04a45a2f8c0de80d8bc6c4f0473734e39692ff74.png" alt="Spanning Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay at more than 42 million acres, the Pantanal is the largest tropical wetland in the world and an important carbon store">
<h4>5. Wetlands are Sources of Livelihoods</h4>
<p>Wetlands help <a href="https://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/2021/02/three-ways-wetlands-can-influence-climate-change/#:~:text=Wetlands%20regulate%2C%20capture%20and%20store,capturing%20atmospheric%20carbon%20than%20rainforests.">sustain local communities</a> and combat food insecurity by supporting fisheries, agriculture, livestock and fuel production. According to Ramsar, wetlands sustain an extraordinary amount of jobs around the world, including <a href="https://www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/fs_7_livelihoods_en_v5_2.pdf">a billion households</a> throughout Asia, Africa and the Americas that rely on rice growing and processing.</p>
<img src="https://illuminem.b-cdn.net/articlebody/0df75077fcf9564c3239f459cd430b1069dfe0e4.png" alt="A fisherman walks through mangrove forests with his catch in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia">
<h4>Zooming in on Wetlands</h4>
<p>The Paraná River, an artery that stretches through the La Plata basin, is home to an enormous mosaic of rich, biodiverse wetland systems covering more than 22,000 square kilometers, just a fragment of Argentina’s 600,000-square-kilometer wetland system that covers an impressive one fifth of the country.<br/><br/>The Paraná Delta, featured in GCA’s lighthouse report “<a href="https://gca.org/reports/living-with-water-climate-adaptation-in-the-worlds-deltas/">Living with water, climate adaptation in the world’s deltas</a>,” is one of many wetland systems in the world falling prey to unsustainable agriculture and unfettered urbanization.</p>
<img src="https://illuminem.b-cdn.net/articlebody/f31d671fc0210cc10a38d8144ecf94182f4b0285.png" alt="undefined">
<p>In 2008, increased development and the expansion of agriculture, forestry and livestock production led to an environmental catastrophe in the Paraná Delta. A severe drought and the systematic use of fires to eliminate unwanted vegetation led to the tragic loss of 11 per cent of its land cover.<br/><br/>Fortunately, in 2020, the Argentinean government launched a program of “conservation lighthouses” or operational bases scattered throughout the Paraná Delta for environmental management and monitoring, aiming to prevent fires and environmental risks in the area.<br/><br/>Around the world and here in the Netherlands, a deltaic country that houses more than <a href="https://www.government.nl/topics/nature-and-biodiversity/protected-nature-areas">one million hectares</a> of wetlands, “artificial,” constructed wetlands are being used more and more to treat and store water. Artificial wetlands can include reservoirs and ponds and they function as natural wetlands, capturing carbon and cooling the planet. A <a href="https://www.fieldfactors.com/news-archive/constructed-wetlands">pilot wetland</a> at Sparta Football Stadium in the port city of Rotterdam was designed to treat 20 cubic meters of stormwater per hour to be stored and used to irrigate the playing field.<br/><br/>Improving the protection, management and restoration of wetlands is critical to our collective wellbeing and to protecting our planet.</p>
<p></p>
<p><em>This article is also published on <a href="https://gca.org/5-ways-wetlands-are-crucial-to-climate-change-adaptation/">Global Center on Adaptation</a>. Energy Voices is a democratic space presenting the thoughts and opinions of leading Energy &amp; Sustainability writers, their opinions do not necessarily represent those of illuminem.</em></p>


Gabriela Díaz Musmanni

Gabriela Díaz Musmanni

5 reasons why floating development is set to take the world by storm

5 Ways Wetlands are Crucial to Climate Change Adaptation

Recent publications

Readers also like

Want to know more about illuminem Voices?