[AWPrime]

The biggest concern of the Netherlands (where I live) is the rising sea level. If Global Warming (and related problems) is as bad as we fear then a large part of the country will be covered by water by the end of the century.
Now last week I found this, a design for a floating city.
Floating City

Now the basic concept for a floating city could solve some problems even if they can't house everybody.
Now, do you think that this could be a solution (one of many) for some countries?

[americandream]

We can't even get the basic technology we've used since the advent of the internal combustion much beyond the consumer oriented gift wrapped version that passes high tech in the 21st century.....so no, anything larger than a toothpick is simply in the land of fables.

[NEOPO]

AHAHAHAHAHAHAH

[Heineken]

Since the rate of warming is accelerating, The Netherlands will be obliterated by the sea far sooner than the end of the century. If you believe otherwise, you're engaging in an understandable fantasy.

Floating cities? Now that's a less forgivable fantasy.

[Laughs_Last]

How will the Atoller's defend themselves against the Smokers?

[Heineken]

God, that was one stinker of a movie, wasn't it?

[Laurasia]

I would like to think this could be accomplished, and certainly no other country has the will and know-how to literally confront the sea and wrest living-space from it like the Dutch. If that oil sheikh fella in the Gulf can build a palm-tree shaped island simply for tourism then I think the Dutch could probably come up with a floating city simply for survival.
Better start stocking up on building materials, though.
Regards,
L.

[gg3]

Personally I'm very skeptical about floating cities and other solutions that seem to be based on the feeling, "this was cool in science fiction so let's do it."
However if there are any countries that could pull off something like that, Holland and Japan are the ones.

On the other hand, there may be other solutions to this. I don't know. It would frankly scare the hell out of me to be living below sea level. And from everything I hear, Holland is a very sane country, populated by very sane people, level-headed, non-dogmatic, etc. It would be an enormous tragedy for the place to be lost and its people scattered.

[AWPrime]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Heineken', 'S')ince the rate of warming is accelerating, The Netherlands will be obliterated by the sea far sooner than the end of the century. If you believe otherwise, you're engaging in an understandable fantasy.

[skyemoor]

Interesting concept. If anyone can do it (vision, innovation, motivation, ability), the Dutch could. Ironically, while they are one of the most vulnerable to climate change, they are one of the best at minimizing fossil fuel consumption due to energy efficiency, pedestrian/bicycle scale cities, and renewable energy.

[Heineken]

I also respect the Dutch (and Dutch beer!).
But "floating cities" are a solution to nothing.

The costs of construction would be unmanageable, and maintenance would be a losing battle. It's expensive enough just to keep a boat shipshape. And how would people live there?
Holland's economy will collapse when the country is inundated by the North Sea. There won't be any economic context for floating Dutch cities.

[Madpaddy]

Heineken,
I agree with you. The Dutch know this too. That's why they bought up the best land in West Cork in Ireland about 30 years ago.
Expat Dutch and Germans are very strong drivers of environmental awareness in Ireland such as it is.

[AWPrime]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Heineken', 'T')he costs of construction would be unmanageable, and maintenance would be a losing battle. It's expensive enough just to keep a boat shipshape. And how would people live there?

[NEOPO]

Diaspora isnt so bad go ask the zionists

[Heineken]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Madpaddy', 'H')eineken,
I agree with you. The Dutch know this too. That's why they bought up the best land in West Cork in Ireland about 30 years ago.
Expat Dutch and Germans are very strong drivers of environmental awareness in Ireland such as it is.

[Heineken]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('AWPrime', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Heineken', 'T')he costs of construction would be unmanageable, and maintenance would be a losing battle. It's expensive enough just to keep a boat shipshape. And how would people live there?

[AWPrime]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Heineken', 'L')ook, I don't claim to be an expert in floating-city construction and maintenance. But I doubt if anyone else is either. My comments are based on common sense and observation. Most of these grandiose plans for salvation never make it. They're too impractical and too costly. Floating cities, even if built, would surely create as many problems for their "crewmen" as they solved.

[Heineken]

I'm sorry, AWPrime, but the most likely outcome of the coming huge rises in sea level, coinciding with post-Peak Oil disruptions in the world economy, is that Holland will largely cease to exist. To think that you can, in essence, "float" the country is hubris, if not madness.

The fact that this is even being considered is a sign of how hopeless the situation is. Hopelessness breeds desperation.

[AWPrime]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Heineken', 'I')'m sorry, AWPrime, but the most likely outcome of the coming huge rises in sea level, coinciding with post-Peak Oil disruptions in the world economy, is that Holland will largely cease to exist.

[Bill_White]

The North Sea would be a bad place for a floating city. Big storms.

At the equator, storms would be less severe. As for food? Plenty of sunlight so enclose areas with floating fences and grow plankton to feed fish to supplement vegetables grown on the city itself.

Every rooftop a garden.