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Colombia apos;s Cartagena Seeks To Clean Up Corruption Blocking Climate...

2021-01-02T05:48:51Z

AustinRoller:

By Anastasia Moloney BOGOTA, Dec 1 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - In Colombia's tourist hotspot of Cartagena, the cobbled streets and colonial squares have been deserted for months as the pandemic kept tourists away, only to be recently submerged by floodwaters when Hurricane Iota pummeled the Caribbean. Back-to-back hurricanes Eta and Iota, which battered parts of Colombia, Central America and Mexico in November, have made limiting the damage from future storms more urgent, said the city's mayor. "What we must do is prepare for when they (hurricanes) come so we don't have all this flooding, and in a city with so much poverty, that's quite the challenge," William Dau told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in an interview. Caribbean islands and coastal cities like Cartagena are already experiencing more frequent severe storms, fueled by global warming, while grappling with rising sea levels. With top-strength Hurricane Iota, about 70% of Cartagena was flooded, with the northern port city's poorest communities bearing the brunt, said Dau. Cartagena's slum areas, home to Colombians displaced by the conflict and poor families, are most at risk of floods and landslides caused by torrential rains. "When the water level rises, these are the first neighborhoods that are affected. Unfortunately it's the most impoverished parts of the city," Dau said. "A lot of people still run the risk the next time we get flooded. This is something that has accumulated over decades. We can't fix it overnight," said Dau, who took office in January. About 35,000 families live in [http://topofblogs.com/tag/informal%20settlements informal settlements] built in high-risk flood areas and city hall is constructing 3,000 new homes to re-house people, he said. Running through the city of nearly 1 million residents are miles of drainage canals clogged with rubbish - from discarded furniture to plastic waste - that make flooding worse as rainwater run-off is blocked and overflows, Dau said. A big infrastructure project to clean and upgrade Cartagena's drainage system has been in the works since 2011 but failed to get off the ground because of rampant corruption and mismanagement of funds by previous mayors, Dau said. "None of (them) have done anything about it so we are going to... start work on the most critical spots," he added. City hall plans to hire people from slum areas to clear rubbish from canals and reforest surrounding hills to help prevent landslides, [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-du-lich-vinh-ha-long-ha-noi-gia-re-nhat-dich-vu-tot-nhat.html tour du lịch hạ long] he said. COASTAL PROTECTION Building infrastructure to withstand more severe weather is one way to reduce the destruction storms can bring. Dau has called in support from the Netherlands, regarded as a world leader in flood protection, to advise on coastal defense projects and evaluate all existing "water-related plans". Building a series of stone breakwaters along the shoreline to help reduce wave energy during storm surges is also part of the city's planned coastal protection measures, Dau said. Restoring mangrove swamps that act as buffers against the sea is another priority, which can create jobs as planting mangroves is "labour-intensive", he added. Mangroves help protect coastlines against ferocious storms and rising sea levels, absorb planet-heating carbon from the atmosphere and boost fish stocks. "We need to have people stop cutting down the mangroves and filling in the land with housing," Dau said. MISSING MONEY Cartagena, like many Colombian cities, has included climate-change adaptation projects in its urban planning for years - but corruption meant they remained largely on paper, Dau said. "Plans were never executed and where plans started to be executed, the money would just evaporate," he added. Dau, who calls himself an "anti-corruption activist", won the mayoral election last year as a political outsider, promising to rid city hall of graft. Corruption has stymied Cartagena's development, he said, including efforts to protect residents from climate change and tackle high rates of poverty in a city where seven in every 10 people hold informal jobs. With 11 mayors in the previous eight years, political instability was an obstacle to getting things done, he said. "Now that we have political stability, I trust that we will be able to start solving all these issues," he said. In recent years, several Cartagena mayors and city hall officials have been investigated by state prosecutors for corruption, misuse of public funds and nepotism, suspended from their posts and sent to jail. To address the issue, Dau has set up an anonymous email hotline allowing members of the public to report cases of corruption. In July, hundreds of thousands of citizens tuned into three Facebook sessions held by Dau, who spoke about cases he said his administration had uncovered where public funds had been [http://www.travelwitheaseblog.com/?s=siphoned siphoned] off during previous administrations. Dau plans to establish an international fund for the city by next year, aiming to raise about $1 billion through loans and bonds for climate-resilient infrastructure and development projects. A lawyer and former executive with investment firm Blackstone Group, Dau hopes to use his knowledge of the corporate world to attract private-sector [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-du-lich-vinh-ha-long-ha-noi-gia-re-nhat-dich-vu-tot-nhat.html kynghidongduong.vn] money for climate resilience projects in the city. That could involve companies offsetting their planet-warming emissions by buying carbon credits generated from mangrove restoration projects in Cartagena. The idea has caught on elsewhere along Colombia's Caribbean coast in Cispata Bay, where in 2018 tech giant Apple invested in community-led work to protect a 27,000-acre mangrove forest. (Reporting by Anastasia Moloney; editing by Megan Rowling. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers the lives of people around the world who struggle to live freely or fairly. Visit website

What Your Toddler Wishes You Knew About Places To Play In Bay Area Houston

2021-01-01T12:06:33Z

AustinRoller:

Getting out into the world and enjoying life again is something we're all looking forward to doing sometime soon. But when you've got the chance to play Bay Area Houston, though, you've got to do it with aplomb. There's no room for half-hearted fun times here as this part of Texas asks everyone to give it all they've got when they play their hearts out. But what if you're not sure where to start? No sweat. All you've got to do consult the expert that's likely hanging out in your house at about knee height --- your toddler. No one knows how to have fun like kids, and when little kids are really 'on', they are capable of making the world really beautiful. Everything is a playground, and imagination is the only limit in play. Remember those days? If not, you're not alone. That's exactly the problem we, as adults, have run into over time. We forgot how to let loose and enjoy life. Careers, home ownership, car maintenance, you know the usual schtick. These are the things that make being grown-up a real drag. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push(); It turns out that toddlers and young kids are clued in on just how much we're all just not able to have fun anymore. Moreover, this is why a place like Bay Area Houston is so important. It's like nowhere else in Texas, and that's a good thing. It's also not tied to the typical things you might associate with the Lone Star State (you know you've been asked about horses & saying things like 'y'all', right?). Bay Area has a beautifully diverse population, outstanding restaurants, awe-inspiring natural scenery, and some of the coolest things in the world to do. Do yourself a favor & see what your toddler might be trying to tell you about play in Bay Area Houston: Nature, Beaches, and the Outdoors --- While many Texas cities will argue vigorously about this, the truth is there are few places IN THE COUNTRY that compare to the natural beauty you'll find in Bay Area Houston. Kids love going outside, running around, and breathing clean air. Why not add some gorgeous landscapes, breathtaking beaches, and all manner of outdoor entertainment to the mix! Kid-Friendly Environments --- A lot of destinations make the claim that they are "Fun Central", but are they really? Usually, it's either the kids or [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-du-lich-vinh-ha-long-ha-noi-gia-re-nhat-dich-vu-tot-nhat.html kynghidongduong.vn] adults on a trip that have to suck it up & deal with a boring getaway. Bay Area isn't like other destinations. The local population is made up of diverse families who call Bay Area home all year [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-du-lich-vinh-ha-long-ha-noi-gia-re-nhat-dich-vu-tot-nhat.html tour hạ long], which means that you're visiting a place that knows how to entertain kids of all ages. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push(); Have Plans Ready --- Why mention the multitude of things at your fingertips in Bay Area? Because you've got young kids & being ready to change gears at a moment's notice is part of the gig. Your toddler will thank you for the 'Baycation when you save the day by finding the perfect Plan B. You Can Get Involved, Too --- If there is one lesson you need to take away from [http://pixabay.com/en/new-zealand-waterfall-nature-watching/ watching] your toddler enjoy all of Bay Area Houston, it's that sometimes you should join in on the fun. You'll have plenty of time to be a parent, so be a kid again. Your kid's smile will be worth it. This year has been pretty rough on everyone in the family. As such, why not shake off the 2020 blues & play Bay Area Houston? Bring back the all-American road-trip, pack some sandwiches & sodas in the cooler, and make it the highlight of what's been one heck of a year. Your kids are only young once, so don't let life get in the way of creating some amazing memories with them. Luckily for you, Bay Area Houston has plenty of good times for everyone. [ ] the right way. Touch base with the good folks at Bay Area Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau for everything you'd ever want to know about this amazing part of Texas. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

User:AustinRoller

2021-01-01T12:06:28Z

AustinRoller: Created page with "My name is Austin from Deventer doing my final year engineering in Dramatic Literature and History. I did my schooling, secured 76% and hope to find someone with same interest..."

My name is Austin from Deventer doing my final year engineering in Dramatic Literature and History. I did my schooling, secured 76% and hope to find someone with same interests in Bridge. my webpage: [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-du-lich-vinh-ha-long-ha-noi-gia-re-nhat-dich-vu-tot-nhat.html tour hạ long]