Urban Cooling System Through River Rescue. An alternative to prevent Overheating by UCS Alejandro Montan

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Pitch

U.C.S. is a new urban alternative for rescue and manage rivers and enhance his potentials to help and prevent Climate Change Effects

Description

Summary

General Context

2006 The Andean Community Nations (CAN) forwarded the Andean glacier retreat. Andean Glaciers play a key role in regulating the Andean hydrologic system and provide water for human consumption, agriculture, industry and hydroelectric energy.

2015 Poopo lake in Oruro-Bolivia was dry (24.000 Km2). November 2016 and the next months were critical in La Paz and other principal cities in Bolivia. Water Level reservoirs were very low and the people do not have potable water. Near the city Chacaltaya`s glacial do not exist anymore.

Hydric resources are losing on valley and highlands Andean. The government Authorities and people say Climate change is guilty. The common solution is find new Hydric resources for maintain the urban population and agriculture. But each time Hydric resources are more and more far, deep, and expensive. While the urban land and closely lands are increasing the temperature, losing his humidity and change productive valleys to dry desserts slowly.

Main Problem

Cochabamba Metropolitan’s areas contain around 70% of urban population. Transforming the environment:

1. Change the green coverture for concrete and pavements.

1. At same time change hydrologic soils functions (permeability vs. impermeability).

1. Buildings generate different reflect sun radiation (Higueras; Olgyay). This phenomenon which increases the urban temperature is called “Urban Heat Island U.H.I.” and generates overheating on the cities.

1. GEI generates ozone depletion and increase Ultraviolet rays (UV-B) every day more dangerous.

1. Cities are increasing water consumption but they aren’t recharging and/or keeping properly this resource.

1. This new situation for an old Urban Development Framework does not have faster response and do not offer specific and properly plans or strategies.

In this regard the proposal is change or revert this critical situation trough an urban research and urban projects focused on protect our hydric resources at same time reduce overheating.

What actions do you propose?

WATER IS LIFE!!!

In the beginning, God created heaven and earth. But the earth was empty and unoccupied, and darknesses were over the face of the abyss; and so the spirit of God was brought over the waters. Genesis 1:1-2.

Urban Cooling Systems (U.C.S.) is a Research Proposal focused on the Rescue and Rehabilitation of Urban Rivers and Watershed. Based over three principal factors might be related with Hydric System.

• River and Watershed  Key Objective

• Climate

• Urban development

• Economy

Then, the main research is based on four complementary studies which generate information about: a) River and Watershed data including the Hydrologic System. b) Climate data and Effect Climate variation considering the historical climate information; Sun Radiation; and Ultraviolet ray UV-B. c) Urban Development data, considering: The Urban Physical conformation; and The Socio-cultural, Politic-Institutional and social participation and effect on public management. d) Economic data Included impact of public managing projects and particular economies: projects, commercial, food, clusters, etc.

This information is overlapped and generates transversal information on a SIG platform for encourage and improve the principal goals. This process ended on strategies and an urban physical project. In this case referred to Rescue and Rehabilitation of Urban River and/or Watershed and helps to prevent the Climate Change Effects (Prevent overheating, Hydric Protection Resources, Preserve Freshwater, increase humidity, and encourage the green coverture amongst others).

U.C.S. has realized preliminary studies and tested some data before begin the urban proposal research and have important information and designed a preview sketch which focused and redirecting the studies.

Generate Social and Institutional platforms with much participations is Healthy and help us to build and encourage our aims and generate sensibility, actions and decisions.

Who will take these actions?

• Own participation  for generate the framework, guidelines and information and perform, leading and focused the research to the success goals.

• Scientist and Academic Institutions (National and International)  Scientist and Academic Participation Play a Key role and is invaluable because they have many Knowledge, practice and experience and ever open doors.

• Social Participations Leaderships, Social Control, Neighbors and other Social Stakeholders are a very important part for achieves our goals. Generally these persons live, work and received the main impacts of the Climate Chance, they know very well this problem. September 2016 was realized and presented for my person an urban propose about a new bridge over the Rocha River and this Bridge was more ecologist (Preserved green coverture), more secure (Vial Security) and more economic (More cheap) than other municipality projects. Because absorbed and worked with the people’s opinion.

• NGOs, Foundations and other Similar  Some Organizations are coming working over Water Resources and Climate Change a Synergy can return mutual Benefits and encourage our goals.

• Architects, Engineers and Techniques Institutions  The professional and Techniques participations bring different experience, perspectives and visions over the territory and this knowledge and opinion is important.

• Central and Local Government Institutions  The Government Institutions play a key role over the development decisions. It is important share ideas and visions, problems and objectives and generate a solid and sustainable platform and work together with common goals (Health, Security and collective benefits).

Where will these actions be taken?

The research will be done on the Rocha River in Cochabamba – Bolivia.

Rocha River is allocated on valley of Cochabamba, over 2.750 m.s.n.m. The study area is along the Uyuni Avenue. Because round the river and is near to Sacaba Municipality where the Rocha River born.

This area is extended and contained different land uses like residential, commercial, green areas and recreation areas. This diverse land uses bring different climate data. And this information helps us to build a robust model.

What are other key benefits?

1. Protect hydric resources on urban areas and Increase ambient humidity and hydrologic recharge is very important for the health of the land.  Do not have estimated cost.

2. Collect and Preserve Freshwater  Water is one of the three principal elements which the human need for life.

3. Improve the green coverture and promote urban reforestation.  Hydrologic Health is the base for promote green and forest areas and both work together. The effects on environments and Health are High, because increase the oxygen and decrease the Carbon dioxide.

4. Create Healthy Urban Areas and activities free of UV-B. Many people in Bolivia ignore the impact of UV-B Effects on the Health (Skin and eyes).

5. Clean Energies and led technology use.Can save around 60 – 70% of the cost of conventional energies.

6. Climate data, Ultraviolet ray UV-B and urban microclimates can offer important urban information about Human Health and prevent risk.

What are the proposal’s costs?

Time line

Short term

• Demonstrate Technic and scientific proposal research validation.

• Incorporate on the classical framework of planning and urban managing new approaches and knowledge will be able to prevent Climate Change Effects.

• Generate a Social and Institutional Synergy Platform.

• Share and feedback frequently the Climate Chance information and Effects over Health and new alternatives for mitigate these effects.

• Established planning and urban managing priorities focused on Climate Change mitigation and generate financial resources for this aims.

Medium and longe term

Climate Change Effects are over the personal, group or government decisions. The time is the judge and our work is our sentence. Many scientist organizations consider 2050 like a critical year for the human on this earth, and 33 years since 2017 is a large way and many fall and arise.

Today we have incredible technology able to communicate or find any data in the entire world without go out our homes or works. Since the creation of Mercury thermometer at this time when we have at home computers and meteorological stations and data loggers our capabilities and skills was highly increased. But my generation is looking how ancient glacial which formed in millions years today is disappearing in only 50 or 100 hundred years. It is Hard.

I think we do not have favorable scenery but today we can try chance this situation with individual and group ideas and actions. Take priority decisions Vs. important decisions and think the Climate Change is a new paradigm. Then is a problem or an opportunity?.

I think we are able to pass this situation and know new development scenery.

Related proposals

References

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