Podcast Pepijn Leon Sarah Jonathan

The podcast discusses environmental challenges and solutions in Belgium and Croydon, England. Belgium faces climate variability, leading to droughts and floods, caused in part by excessive concrete in urban areas. Planting greenery and reducing concrete can help manage water and prevent flooding. Croydon faces air pollution and extreme weather events, with legislation to transition to cleaner vehicles and install water taps to prevent heat-related health issues. Communities worldwide are taking action to tackle climate change and create a sustainable future. Welcome to the PODCAST PODCAST with Léon as your host today and for our guest we have Payne, Jonathan and Sarah. The podcast where we explore the environmental issue facing communities around the world and the innovative solutions being used to address them. I'm your host and today we're diving into the environmental changes and solutions in Belgium and Croydon, England. Let's start with Belgium. Known for its dense population and urban landscapes, the country faces environmental challenges including increased climate variability leading to more frequent droughts and floods. Just last year the Ardennes region experienced devastating floods highlighting the urgency of the situation. So what causes these extreme weather events? Well one factor is the excessive amount of concrete in urban areas preventing water from infiltrating the ground and exacerbating flooding. Additionally long and hard droughts are becoming more common putting stress on water resources. But fear not, there are solutions. Planting more greenery and reducing hard surfaces like concrete can help absorb excess water and mediate flooding and by catching and storing water in lakes we can better manage droughts and ensure water security for all. Now let's shift our focus to Croydon, England. As a bustling urban centre, Croydon faces its own set of environmental challenges including air pollution and extreme weather events. The lack of green spaces and high levels of CO2 emissions from transport contributes to the city's climate woes but Croydon isn't sitting idly by. Legislation has been passed to scrap old polluting cars and incentivise the transition to cleaner vehicles. With summers getting hotter and drier and floods becoming more frequent in autumn, Croydon is taking proactive measures. Water taps are being installed across the city to prevent heat related health issues while sustainable drainage systems are helping to alleviate flooding. So whether it's Belgium or Croydon, communities around the world are stepping up to tackle climate change and create a more sustainable future. By embracing green initiatives and implementing innovative solutions, we can protect our planet for generations to come. That's all for today's episode of the podcast podcast, join us next time as we continue to explore the intersection of environmental changes and solutions. Until then, remember every action counts in the fight against climate change. Thank you for listening.