GEOGRAPHIC HORIZONS

The Cascade System in Sri Lanka and Its Ecosystem Services The Cascade System in Sri Lanka represents a significant engineering feat aimed at optimized hydrological management, with a history dating back approximately 2000 years. This system stands as remarkable evidence of Sri Lankan's EbA procedure and their technical expertise aligned with environmental conservation. It is described as the integration of ecosystem and economy compositions in Sri Lanka, primarily built to enhance agriculture in the dry zone by collecting stormwater from the North East monsoon season. Consequently, most cascade systems are situated in the dry zone, particularly in the North Central province, Sri Lanka. Demographically, the increasing population was the main impetus for establishing most cascade systems to ensure food security by boosting agriculture in ancient society. In 1985, Mr. Madduma Bandara rediscovered the cascade system in Sri Lanka and observed that the tanks within the system were o...

Climate Justice Climate change, encompassing phenomena like global warming, urban heat islands, rising sea levels, and acid rain, constitutes a pressing contemporary crisis worldwide, leading to widespread disruptions in people's daily lives. Particularly, the wealthiest nations stand at the forefront of carbon emissions due to rapid technological advancement and industrialization. Consequently, the impacts of climate change extend beyond these countries, affecting the entire globe. Developing nations, hindered by economic crises and socio-political challenges, face significant obstacles in mitigating these effects. Thus, the concept of climate justice within environmentalism has emerged to address extreme weather events and promote eco-friendly environmental reconstruction. According to the Mary Robinson Foundation, climate justice integrates development and human rights to adopt a human-centered approach to combatting climate change, safeguarding the rights of vulnerable popu...

Ten Pillars for Future Sustainable Cities The concept of sustainable cities, aligned with optimized social, environmental, and economic contexts, has become a prominent topic due to its role in ensuring the well-being of people and environmental health. Therefore, the planning, design, layout, and infrastructure systems of cities must prioritize sustainability. Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs has introduced ten pillars for building sustainable cities. According to his framework, cities can achieve peak sustainability by implementing green and grey infrastructures that mitigate high carbon emissions and adapt to climate change. These pillars are outlined as follows: 1. All Electric: Cities must transition to an electric economy, particularly emphasizing the adoption of electric vehicles, to reduce carbon emissions associated with high energy consumption for heating buildings and transportation. 2. Green Energy: Incorporating renewable energies such as hydro, wind, solar, and waves can ...