It was the water that made Manhattan a desirable place already for the Dutch in the 17th century. Writer and historian Russell Shorto brings that story to life during a walk through what was once New Amsterdam. It was that same water that almost drowned the city when Hurricane Sandy hit in 2012. In a twist of history, Sandy brought the Dutch back. Special envoy for international water affairs Henk Ovink was instrumental in bringing about the UN Conference on water, hosted by the Netherlands and Tajikistan. And architect and urban designer Matthijs Bouw is designing new infrastructure to repair and prepare New York for the next storm. Flood protection the Dutch way, with not just concrete walls but with green public spaces and parks and promenades, all built with American go-get-it-ness.
LINKS:
Russell Shorto
Matthijs Bouw
East Side Coastal Resiliency Project
The Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan
UN Water Conference
"Image Credit: Rebuild by Design/The BIG Team.”
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Water is fundamental! That’s why, for the first time in 47 years, the UN organized a worldwide conference on water in 2023, hosted by the Netherlands and Tajikistan. Will it help? To find out, Tracy Metz spoke to all sorts of people in New York and the Netherlands - artists, activists, urban designers, students, officials - who all share the same sense of urgency as we are confronted with too much water or too little, too dirty and … too unequal. This… is ‘Water Talks’! This podcast is made possible by the Dutch Ministry of Water and Infrastructure (I&W).