How Hong Kong can build urban climate resilience - South China Morning Post

Opinion | How Hong Kong can best build urban climate resilience | South China Morning Post

How Hong Kong can best build urban climate resilience

- The city must learn from its past mistakes and rely on the latest science and technology in reviewing its adaptation and mitigation measures
- In short, with extreme weather events on its doorstep, there is no room for complacency

hottest August on record, marked by multiple heatwaves. In September,

Super Typhoon Saola struck, followed closely by a

severe rainstorm– during which the

highest hourly rainfall since 1884 was recorded – that caused serious flooding.

reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change – that

anthropogenic climate change is responsible for the increasing intensity and frequency of such extreme weather events. While Hong Kong has prided itself on its strong infrastructure and transport networks, these events present growing challenges to the city’s urban climate resilience.

highly vulnerable to extreme weather events. However, the sense of climate emergency has not been effectively translated into policymaking and public education. We must learn from our painful experiences and reassess our adaptation strategy to enhance climate resilience.

This is crucial to minimise the looming risks associated with low-probability, high-consequence events that are becoming higher-probability events thanks to climate change. A climate-resilient society will enable different stakeholders to withstand and recover from such stress.

To construct a more climate-resilient urban environment, Hong Kong must review and improve its approach to addressing extreme weather events. The most significant deficiency in Hong Kong society, as revealed by recent extreme events, lies in its lack of robustness, and a forward-thinking and reflective mindset.

Robustness refers to the capacity of infrastructure and people to withstand the impact of extreme circumstances. During the black rainstorm earlier this month, some MTR stations, malls and streets were flooded for an extended period. This shows the inadequacies of our infrastructure design and drainage systems.

We should upgrade them, and consider preventive measures such as floodgates in our subways, and innovations such as permeable pavements and other nature-based solutions.

at least one person being swept away by the rapid flows during the recent storm.

The government should issue guidelines to educate people on how to protect themselves in extreme weather and establish statutory orders to safeguard workers’ safety. Technologies should be used to disseminate information and track the situation in real time.

Being forward-thinking entails having plans in place that can cope with changing conditions. Relying solely on observations from historical climatic data is no longer sufficient.

“once-in-500-years” event. However, this statement may mislead residents into believing that such an event will only occur again in 500 years. The truth is that the climate is changing, and the next 500 years will be vastly different from the previous 500.

Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands project in Lantau, considering the climate risks posed by extreme events.

significant damage to high-rise buildings, including shattered windows. Yet, when Super Typhoon Saola hit four years later,

similar damage occurred.

The government should review the building codes of existing and new buildings, ensuring they can withstand more extreme weather. But, as users of infrastructure and technologies, people are at the heart of the issue. Climate resilience should be part of compulsory education, covering action to take during extreme events and ways to minimise damage, as well as addressing the cause of climate change by reducing individual carbon footprints.

And rather than wait for government workers to clear branches blocking roads, perhaps we could collaborate with neighbours to move the obstructions where possible.

Finally, Hong Kong should ensure sufficient funds for its climate mitigation and adaptation measures. In the chief executive’s policy address in 2021, the government pledged to spend HK$240 billion over the next 15-20 years on these measures. But there have been few updates since then.

launched a research facility to find long-term solutions to protect it from the “existential threat” posed by rising sea levels.

In New York City, meanwhile, maps showcasing stormwater flooding scenarios under the impact of future sea level rises are made available to the public for awareness and action.

Living in cities often leads to a disconnection from nature, resulting in a lack of awareness of the urban landscape’s vulnerability to natural disasters. Technology alone cannot solve all challenges, as the variability of natural systems and processes cannot be accurately forecast even with advanced climate science.

Therefore, our emphasis should be on building urban climate resilience by enhancing robustness, reflecting on past experiences, and adopting a forward-thinking approach.

Natalie Chung Sum Yue is a member of the Council for Carbon Neutrality and Sustainable Development