The Green Apple: How Can Cities Adapt to Climate Change?

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By Scientific American | 17 June 2010 | 597

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN -- Here is how climate change could shut down a city: On the morning of August 8, 2007, a thunderstorm paralyzed the largest rail transit system in the U.S.—New York City's subway—during morning rush hour. Flash floods deposited more than 7,000 kilograms of dirt and debris on tracks that stretch more than 1,350 kilometers and carry 1.5 billion passengers annually. A December 1992 storm had a similar impact, including flooding portions of Lower Manhattan and the East River Drive. Such powerful storms are exactly what scientists predict to become more frequent as the climate changes. Read More