The Thames' Barrier Can’t Protect London Forever | Sinking Cities | THIRTEEN

Video Description

Since 1982, London has relied on the Thames Barrier to protect the city from tidal flooding. But as sea levels rise and rainfall increases, the moveable barrier in the Thames River is no longer enough to keep the city safe. London – one of Europe's oldest cities – sits on a flood plain and is densely urbanized. See firsthand how it is pursuing both low-tech fixes and some of the most advanced engineering solutions in the world to counter a changing environment. The WNET Group brings you Forces of Nature, a special collection exploring issues affecting our natural world and sustainability with community leaders, experts, artists and viewers like you. About the series Sinking Cities: As the earth warms, sea levels rise and super-storms become more frequent and intense, many of the world’s major coastal cities may soon be under water. The four-part Sinking Cities series explores how four global cities – New York, Toyko, London and Miami – are coming to grips with the real-time effects of rising seas and extreme weather. Sinking Cities is a 2018 production of Cineflix (Cities) Inc. in association with THIRTEEN. Major funding for Sinking Cities is provided by Dr. P. Roy and Diana T. Vagelos. Additional funding is provided by Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, The Marc Haas Foundation, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations and public television viewers. For full episodes, check out http://thirteen.org/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thirteenwnet/ Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/thirteenwnet/ https://www.tiktok.com/@thirteenwnet/ ----------------- THIRTEEN is one of America’s most respected and innovative public media providers. Part of The WNET Group, THIRTEEN is a unique cultural and educational institution that harnesses the power of television and electronic media to inform, enlighten, entertain and inspire. The flagship public television station of the New York City tri-state area and the most-watched public television channel in the nation, THIRTEEN reaches millions of people with programming that celebrates arts and culture, offers insightful commentary on the news of the day, explores the worlds of science and nature, and invites people of all ages to have fun while learning. 0:00 – Introduction 2:56 – Flash Flooding and Storm Surges 6:55 – London’s Historic Floods (1928 & the Unprecedented 1953 North Sea Flood) 10:09 – Bolstering the City’s Flood Defenses: The Thames Barrier 14:14 – The Barrier’s Unexpected Role: Responding to the 2013 Storms 21:09 – Urbanization’s Impact: How London’s Growth Increased Flood Risk 23:46 – How Ocean and CO₂ Data Help Predict Future Flooding 29:34 – London Braces with New Solutions 41:30 – Rediscovering London’s Lost Rivers 48:06 – Floating Architecture: Adapting to Rising Waters 51:50 – Conclusion