The spotlight is shining on Philadelphia at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A recent report from an Egyptian environmental correspondent urges national leaders to seriously address worldwide environmental challenges, listen to local communities, and encourages them to learn from Philadelphia!
“The US, in a side event at their pavilion, suggested a city-level solution to adapt to climate change in terms of green infrastructure. The city of Philadelphia is an example of such an initiative, with its drainage design that funnels the first inch from rainfall to green spaces. The initiative increases green spaces on all pavements, rooftops and large vacant areas to retrofit their infrastructure system to adapt to the effects of climate change. Such solutions on a city level are precisely the kinds of solutions we need to learn from.”
Water Commissioner Howard Neukrug and Office of Transportation and Utilities Chief of Staff, Andrew Stober, presented at the conference as part of the Joint Initiative on Urban Sustainability between Philadelphia and Rio. For more information about the conference, check out our earlier blog post, “UN Sustainability Conference in Brazil Puts the Spotlight on Philly.”
