Bill Uflelder, Director of the New York Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, has been working on the environment for 27 years. He mentioned that climate change has become the biggest challenge for New York City, which is getting wetter and wetter. This is due to rising sea levels and storm surges. In addition, there is rain and precipitation. In recent years, there have been frequent large-scale precipitation events, which I call "rain bombs". It was a very short period of intense downpour that New York's existing infrastructure could not afford. This reminds me of the "7•20" heavy rainstorm in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, last year, with the highest peak rainfall reaching 201.9 mm per hour, breaking through the historical extreme. The heavy rain caused 380 major casualties and direct economic losses of 140 billion yuan.
Heavy rainstorms in Zhengzhou, Henan
The oyster is a very magical animal, and it has become a secret weapon to solve such problems. We analyze from three aspects:
First, oysters have the function of filtering and cleaning seawater. An oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day, an American uses only tens of gallons a day, and an oyster can solve a day's water consumption for an American. Most importantly, seawater is also filtered during the cleaning process.
oysters
Second, oysters can absorb pollutants. It is also a reminder to try not to eat oysters, especially those in areas where the sea is contaminated.
Third, the natural structure of Oyster Reef has a strong deceleration effect on storm surges and waves, absorbing most of the wave energy and reducing the impact of waves on communities living along the coast.
Oyster Reef
For these reasons, oyster farming is also booming in New York, and the purchase price is good, almost reaching one dollar a piece. These acquired oysters, placed on reefs on the east coast of the United States, became a way to strengthen natural infrastructure in a world of climate change.
New York has done a great job in addressing climate change, and we should be humble enough to learn from others. Responding to climate change is the responsibility of all mankind, and we in China are also taking active actions. China has pledged to the world that carbon dioxide emissions will peak by 2030 and strive to be carbon neutral by 2060.
Carbon peaking and carbon neutrality
Actively respond to climate change, China refuel, the world refuel, work hard!