Bringing Back The River

WHY IS PARIS UNCOVERING A RIVER IT  BURIED A CENTURY AGO?

THE BRIEF / GOOD QUESTION

THE TIME FEB 14 / FEB 21, 2022

Excerpts:

"For centuries, the 13-ft.-wide river (Bievre) had snaked up through southern Paris, joining the Seine in the city center. But as the Industrial Revolution took off, tanneries and dyers had severely polluted its waters."

"Authorities opted to close the river, sealing up the last section in 1912."

"Today, though, the Bièvre has an unlikely ally: climate change."

"The same industrial activity that destroyed the river has helped drive global warming, with Paris’ average temperature already 4.1°F (2.3°C) higher than in the preindustrial era."

"The urban heat-island effect, in which buildings and pavements absorb more heat than vegetation and water do, is making matters worse, driving Paris’ temperature up by as much as 14.4°F (8°C) more than nearby rural areas during heat waves"

"With that in mind, Mayor Anne Hidalgo agreed to a proposal for the “rebirth of the Bièvre”

By Ciara Nugent

Talk to you soon.

Ayman Jureidini, PE

Owner

Penelope Solar & Engineering, LLC

www.penelopesolar.com