Floating Farms, Sponge Cities and the Climate Solutions Already Working | Harjeet Singh | TED

Overview

This talk explores innovative climate adaptation strategies, emphasizing the importance of development in addressing climate impacts. Harjeet Singh highlights grassroots solutions, the economic case for adaptation, and the moral responsibility of wealthy nations to support vulnerable communities. He also calls for collective action, showcasing how individuals from all walks of life can contribute to building resilience.

Notable Quotes

- There can be no adaptation without development. – Harjeet Singh, on the interconnectedness of climate resilience and socio-economic progress.

- Your farms learn to swim. – Harjeet Singh, describing the ingenuity of floating farms in Bangladesh.

- If you are an engineer, you can be the Tony Stark of adaptation. – Harjeet Singh, encouraging professionals to innovate for climate resilience.

🌍 The Urgency of Climate Adaptation

- Harjeet emphasizes that the climate crisis is human-caused and requires unprecedented adaptation efforts.

- He shares the story of Kamlesh Kushwaha, an Indian farmer who thrived during a heatwave by adopting solar-powered irrigation and strategic crop planning.

- Adaptation is likened to carrying a backpack with essentials for unpredictable weather—symbolizing readiness for uncertainty.

📜 The Link Between Development and Adaptation

- Singh argues that adaptation is impossible without development, citing the disparity between resource-rich nations like the Netherlands and vulnerable ones like Bangladesh.

- Historical injustices, such as colonial exploitation, have left countries like Bangladesh and Mozambique ill-equipped to handle climate impacts.

- Wealthy nations, having benefited from fossil fuels, bear a moral responsibility to fund adaptation in developing countries.

🌱 Grassroots and Urban Innovations

- Floating farms in Bangladesh use bamboo and compost to keep crops safe during floods, showcasing local ingenuity.

- Cities like Kuala Lumpur and Singapore are becoming sponge cities, using green spaces and porous infrastructure to manage excess water while improving urban livability.

- Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Programme combines immediate drought relief with long-term resilience-building through soil and water conservation projects.

💰 The Economic Case for Adaptation

- Studies reveal that every dollar invested in adaptation saves $4–$10 in disaster response costs.

- Singh highlights the economic efficiency of proactive measures, urging governments to prioritize adaptation funding.

🤝 Individual and Collective Responsibility

- Singh calls for a global fossil fuel treaty and equitable transitions to renewable energy.

- He encourages individuals to use their unique skills—whether as educators, engineers, or artists—to inspire and implement climate solutions.

- The talk concludes with a hopeful message: collective action can spread solutions and build a safer, more resilient future.