Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

posted by mrpg on Monday September 03 2018, @11:11AM   Printer-friendly
from the learn-to-swim dept.

With rising sea levels, Bangkok struggles to stay afloat.

As Bangkok prepares to host climate-change talks, the sprawling city of more than 10 million is itself under siege from the environment, with dire forecasts warning it could be partially submerged in just over a decade.

[...] As temperatures rise, abnormal weather patterns—like more powerful cyclones, erratic rainfall, and intense droughts and floods—are predicted to worsen over time, adding pressure on governments tasked with bringing the 2015 Paris climate treaty to life.

Bangkok, built on once-marshy land about 1.5 metres (five feet) above sea level, is projected to be one of the world's hardest hit urban areas, alongside fellow Southeast Asian behemoths Jakarta and Manila.

"Nearly 40 percent" of Bangkok will be inundated by as early as 2030 due to extreme rainfall and changes in weather patterns, according to a World Bank report.

Currently, the capital "is sinking one to two centimetres a year and there is a risk of massive flooding in the near future," said Tara Buakamsri of Greenpeace.


Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • (Score: 5, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 03 2018, @02:10PM (6 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 03 2018, @02:10PM (#729853)

    "Rising sealevels" are a few mm per year. But TFS says the ground is sinking by 1-2 cm per year. The culprit is subsidence.

    Starting Score:    0  points
    Moderation   +5  
       Insightful=1, Interesting=1, Informative=3, Total=5
    Extra 'Informative' Modifier   0  

    Total Score:   5  
  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by Spamalope on Monday September 03 2018, @02:43PM (2 children)

    by Spamalope (5233) on Monday September 03 2018, @02:43PM (#729861) Homepage

    Well, the story is 'Subsidence threatens Bangkok, city built on a swamp - here's how it's the western worlds fault'.

    They need an Amsterdam solution or a move. (for a move - new building code requires x feet above sea level, requires any flood insurance to be local pool only so folks who move aren't subsidizing those who won't, urban planning for maintaining effective port facilities, flood mitigation where practical - the goal being to get the remaining useful life out of existing structures as much as practical while not sinking good money after bad)

    Wait - are they executing that plan and phase one is 'try guilting western world into providing handouts'? Or is this political posturing/virtue signaling?

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 03 2018, @06:03PM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 03 2018, @06:03PM (#729917)

      is everything that someone says that right leaning people don't like a virtue signal? isn't racism a virtue signal? authoratarianism? hiring undocumented workers while skirting the law because profit is more important than nationalism?

      asking for money isn't a virtue. lying about the causes isn't a virtue. displaying the lack of pride or ethics aren't virtues what virtues are they signaling? it cant be that they are somehow better, and if that's what you think, thats wrong because we all know here its a lie. is false virtue signaling even something we can disparage them about if we disparage them for true virtue signaling? damned if you do...

      there's nothing virtuous about marketing, advertising, and the efforts of those two to attempt guilt manipulation of people that might be persuaded to donate to help.

      what virtue they are signaling because there's nothing about misleading people about the causes of their problems while asking for money that is somehow virtuous.

      • (Score: 2, Interesting) by khallow on Monday September 03 2018, @11:34PM

        by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Monday September 03 2018, @11:34PM (#730029) Journal

        is everything that someone says that right leaning people don't like a virtue signal?

        I guess we have to look at the meaning [oxforddictionaries.com] of words, eh?

        The action or practice of publicly expressing opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one's good character or the moral correctness of one's position on a particular issue.

        asking for money isn't a virtue. lying about the causes isn't a virtue. displaying the lack of pride or ethics aren't virtues what virtues are they signaling? it cant be that they are somehow better, and if that's what you think, thats wrong because we all know here its a lie. is false virtue signaling even something we can disparage them about if we disparage them for true virtue signaling? damned if you do...

        If you're making a distinction between "true" and "false" virtue signalling, then you're not getting the point of the term. Sure, it can be deceptive, delusional, or hypocritical, which I guess would be "false" virtue signalling. But even when it's true (that is, the person believes what they're saying and makes a good faith effort to be in compliance with the public presentation), it's an obnoxious "This is how good I am" message.

  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Gaaark on Monday September 03 2018, @03:39PM (1 child)

    by Gaaark (41) on Monday September 03 2018, @03:39PM (#729871) Journal

    Let's see: build on a swamp/marsh? Yeah, no problems i can forsee.
    Quicksand? Meh.

    I wanted to build my house on the top of an ice cream cone, but it melted too fast. Shame. Woulda been great, i tell you what!

    --
    --- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
    • (Score: 3, Informative) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday September 04 2018, @10:40AM

      by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday September 04 2018, @10:40AM (#730177) Journal

      To be fair, much of the US is built on swamp. Manhattan, much of New Jersey, a fair bit of Chicago, Houston, almost all of Louisiana.

      If you live near New Jersey, you might want to try something. Find just about anywhere within about five miles of the Pulaski Skyway. Stand there late at night, when traffic has died down (as much as it dies down in New Jersey). Watch the late night truck traffic on the skyway, while paying attention to the ground under your feet. A truck will hit a point on the skyway where it crosses one of the larger expansion dividers, and seconds later, you'll feel the impact under your feet. I thought I was imagining it at first, but it is very real. It's all swamp, and the shock carries very much like it would carry through open water.

  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by bradley13 on Monday September 03 2018, @08:32PM

    by bradley13 (3053) on Monday September 03 2018, @08:32PM (#729957) Homepage Journal

    "Land subsidence from deep well pumping has been affecting Bangkok for the past 35 years."

    Do it to yourself, blame climate change. News at 11:00.

    --
    Everyone is somebody else's weirdo.