Climate Change Solutions Update

Author: E360.yale

  • Plagued by Flooding, an African City Reengineers Its Wetlands

    Kigali, Rwanda is undergoing a citywide effort to rebuild nature-based infrastructure by restoring wetlands, creating wildlife corridors, parks, and bike lanes, and planting trees to address flooding issues exacerbated by climate change. The city has converted a degraded swamp into a functioning wetland, with plans to reforest hillsides and restore a larger wetland system to control floods, store carbon, and enhance biodiversity. The success of the Nyandungu Eco-Park pilot project has led to the restoration of five more degraded wetlands in the city, covering 1,200 acres. The Kigali Master Plan aims to restore and protect wetlands, while also monitoring social impacts and engaging with the local community to ensure the success of wetland restoration efforts. These efforts, including the planting of 3 million trees over five years, are crucial steps in adapting to the changing climate and reducing the impact of extreme weather events in Kigali.

    https://e360.yale.edu/features/kigali-rwanda-wetland-restoration

  • From Ruins to Reuse: How Ukrainians Are Repurposing War Waste

    In 2024, Zero Waste Kharkiv, led by Anna Prokayeva, initiated a project to recover and repurpose materials from the bomb-flattened village hall in Ruska Lozova, Ukraine, which was heavily damaged during the Russian invasion. The project aimed to address the issue of war waste and teach residents how to rebuild their homes using recovered materials. The team of volunteers sorted and transported materials to a circular construction yard, where they were repurposed for various construction needs, such as filling potholes, insulating walls, and heating buildings. By the end of the project, the site of the village hall was cleared and ready for new construction, now hosting a new council building. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is leading a major debris management effort in Ukraine, clearing nearly 800,000 tons of war rubble, with 150,000 tons processed into gravel for road repairs. Other nations are also contributing, with an Australian company making bricks from gravel, glass, and plastic bottles, and Japan providing training and equipment for waste processing. The use of A.I.-enhanced robotic cleanup machinery is being tested to reduce costs and increase safety in areas with potential hazards. Efforts are being made to amend Ukrainian laws to allow for the reuse of recycled concrete made from the war rubble. Zero Waste Kharkiv in Ukraine aims to repurpose all war wreckage, sending nothing to landfills or incinerators. The organization educates residents about the zero waste concept and follows a hierarchy of closed-loop circular systems. They send second-hand clothes, toys, and bedding to various centers, and collect spent batteries for reconfiguration. Zero Waste Kharkiv plans to continue their recycling efforts in war-torn areas to rebuild Ukraine sustainably.

    https://e360.yale.edu/features/ukraine-war-debris-recycling