{"id":58756,"date":"2026-03-31T13:27:45","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T11:27:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ethrat.ch\/?page_id=58756"},"modified":"2026-03-31T13:27:45","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T11:27:45","slug":"how-eawag-wants-to-make-cities-climate-resilient","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ethrat.ch\/en\/how-eawag-wants-to-make-cities-climate-resilient\/","title":{"rendered":"How Eawag wants to make cities climate resilient"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"58756\" class=\"elementor elementor-58756 elementor-57976\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0d831fb elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0d831fb\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1fe72cc\" data-id=\"1fe72cc\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-331fcf6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"331fcf6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"653\" src=\"https:\/\/ethrat.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Lauren-Cook_100x600_150px.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-57980\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ethrat.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Lauren-Cook_100x600_150px.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/ethrat.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Lauren-Cook_100x600_150px-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ethrat.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Lauren-Cook_100x600_150px-768x502.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-42fe434 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"42fe434\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1bedaab\" data-id=\"1bedaab\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-75238d6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"75238d6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6c9038e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6c9038e\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b369b55\" data-id=\"b369b55\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fe2f4c3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"fe2f4c3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Blue-green infrastructure<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-755e8ff elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"755e8ff\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-af0a592\" data-id=\"af0a592\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1e9177e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1e9177e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1>How Eawag wants to make cities climate resilient<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0393b50 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0393b50\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c22fd06\" data-id=\"c22fd06\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d4b9f0f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d4b9f0f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Heavy rain and heat are increasingly causing problems, even in Switzerland, potentially leading to devastating floods and excess mortality. To counteract these effects, Eawag is researching blue-green infrastructure, which is designed to prepare our cities for climate change.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-df5716b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"df5716b\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-956b687\" data-id=\"956b687\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bf532a6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"bf532a6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Closed roads, mud flows and flooding: in July and August 2025, heavy rain repeatedly caused chaotic conditions in various regions of Switzerland. Earlier in the year, a heatwave had swept across the country, prompting the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) to warn of health risks. Events of this kind are likely to increase in the future. The scientific community is called upon to work on solutions to these challenges. That\u2019s precisely the role of Lauren Cook. As a civil and environmental engineer, she completed a doctorate at Carnegie Mellon University in the USA and joined Eawag seven years ago. She and her colleagues are researching blue-green infrastructure, also known as the sponge city approach.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-9b21fd9 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"9b21fd9\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b05011c\" data-id=\"b05011c\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4961428 elementor-widget-mobile__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4961428\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4>Sponge city\u00a0<\/h4>\n<p>Blue-green infrastructure refers to urban landscapes that absorb, store and release water. The aim is to restore the natural water cycle in the city, making it possible to tackle several problems at once. More vegetation and permeable surfaces help to retain rainwater where it falls \u2013 instead of channelling it into the sewer system without actually using it. Plants and soil in turn act like sponges by absorbing water, storing it temporarily and then slowly releasing it again. This not only relieves the sewer system, but also purifies the water before it returns to the natural cycle. At the same time, green spaces and evaporation help to cool down cities<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-cd544d9 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"cd544d9\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4d84b41\" data-id=\"4d84b41\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f65d319 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"f65d319\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8e92107 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8e92107\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5a3ecc9\" data-id=\"5a3ecc9\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5f4bfca elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5f4bfca\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u201cBoth heat and heavy rainfall are set to increase due to climate change,\u201d says Cook. \u201cSponge cities are a solution for adapting to climate change.\u201d Elements of blue-green infrastructure include green roofs, ponds, urban wetlands, rain gardens and permeable paving. Concepts of this kind are being implemented more and more frequently in Switzer-land \u2013 for example in Zurich\u2019s Greencity district in the Sihl Valley, where rainwater is drained off and retained on site. Initial pilot projects are also under way in Basel and Lausanne.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-64b16d6 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"64b16d6\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-84dca69\" data-id=\"84dca69\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4580305 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4580305\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Cook\u2019s team has tested the practical implementation of solutions in various locations, including on Eawag\u2019s own roofs. Over a period of five years, the researchers investigated how different types of vege-tation and combinations of techniques \u2013 for instance using solar panels \u2013 affect cooling, water retention and energy efficiency. However, a large part of Cook\u2019s work takes place on computers rather than on roofs. She uses models to simulate how blue-green infrastructure performs in different climate scenarios \u2013 with higher temperatures, longer periods of drought or heavier rainfall. The aim is to find out which combinations are most effective and how they can be integrated into existing urban structures.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-62394f1 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"62394f1\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3892da4\" data-id=\"3892da4\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-da1ce5c elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"da1ce5c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/ethrat.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Lauren-Cook_100x600_150px_2.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-57996\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ethrat.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Lauren-Cook_100x600_150px_2.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/ethrat.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Lauren-Cook_100x600_150px_2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ethrat.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Lauren-Cook_100x600_150px_2-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">In the picture: Lauren Cook in Zurich-Oerlikon, where there is a pilot project for a sponge city.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-aa85eab elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"aa85eab\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c8e0c22\" data-id=\"c8e0c22\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-19ba69b elementor-blockquote--skin-quotation elementor-blockquote--align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-blockquote\" data-id=\"19ba69b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"blockquote.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<blockquote class=\"elementor-blockquote\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-blockquote__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\u201cWe are all researching a climate-resilient future. Sponge cities are a solution for adapting \r\nto climate change.\u201d\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-q-footer\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<cite class=\"elementor-blockquote__author\">\u2014 Lauren Cook<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-669350d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"669350d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2161818\" data-id=\"2161818\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d3b23c8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"d3b23c8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-42a641f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"42a641f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4d21a16\" data-id=\"4d21a16\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f75760b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f75760b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>It almost goes without saying that multiple disci-plines have to come together to achieve this objec-tive. \u201cSponge cities touch on engineering, ecology, social sciences, architecture \u2013 no single subject can cover every aspect,\u201d says Cook. Wherever water areas and vegetation are created, habitats also develop \u2013 for insects, birds and plants. At the same time, social questions arise: how safe, how attractive and how accepted are these spaces? Conflicts of interest are inevitable. Do people in the local area feel disturbed by greater numbers of insects, for instance?<\/p>\n<p>What is more, even blue-green infrastructure is not CO2-neutral, as all infrastructure causes emissions during construction. \u201cBut it offers many advantages,\u201d says Cook. \u201cUltimately, it\u2019s about weighing up and prior-itising.\u201d Eawag relies on laboratories known as living labs to help understand this balance between costs and benefits. These real-world laboratories enable researchers to work with cities and residents to observe how blue-green infrastructure systems function in everyday life.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0221623 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0221623\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f78de87\" data-id=\"f78de87\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0a1865f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0a1865f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>At the same time, Switzerland is part of a global learning process. \u201cClimate change is turning everything upside down,\u201d says Cook. \u201cOur previous assumptions about infrastructure planning no longer apply. Blue-green infrastructure can help because of its flexibility.\u201d Eawag is gaining experience in planning and maintaining this type of system from partners in the USA, Australia and Canada.<\/p>\n<p>Conversely, knowledge from Switzerland \u2013 for example on biodiversity, water protection and ecological urban development \u2013 flows back into global networks. Cook is endeavouring to bring research and engine-ering practice closer together \u2013 so that the ideas from the laboratories and models actually find their way into real life. \u201cWe need to develop solutions that don\u2019t just work in theory, but can actually be put into practice,\u201d she says. This will make sure that our cities are ready for the future.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Blue-green infrastructure How Eawag wants to make cities climate resilient Heavy rain and heat are increasingly causing problems, even in Switzerland, potentially leading to devastating floods and excess mortality. To counteract these effects, Eawag is researching blue-green infrastructure, which is designed to prepare our cities for climate change. Closed roads, mud flows and flooding: in &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"search-tag":[],"class_list":["post-58756","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How Eawag wants to make cities climate resilient - ETH-Rat<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ethrat.ch\/en\/how-eawag-wants-to-make-cities-climate-resilient\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How Eawag wants to make cities climate resilient - ETH-Rat\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Blue-green infrastructure How Eawag wants to make cities climate resilient Heavy rain and heat are increasingly causing problems, even in Switzerland, potentially leading to devastating floods and excess mortality. 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