From battling invasive species to solving water shortages, cross-border collaboration is reshaping environmental resilience. Episode 2 of Our Better World highlights groundbreaking projects proving innovation thrives when knowledge meets action.
Silencing the Golden Mussel Threat
Chinese and Brazilian scientists teamed up to tackle golden mussels — an invasive species clogging Brazil's waterways since the 1990s. The mollusks disrupt ecosystems, damage hydroelectric infrastructure, and cost local economies millions annually. Joint research blending China's aquaculture expertise with Brazil's ecological insights has developed new biological control methods, offering a sustainable path to curb the crisis.
Bangladesh’s River Renaissance
In the \"Land of a Thousand Rivers,\" access to clean water remained elusive until the Padma Water Treatment Plant launched in 2023. This megaproject now provides 450 million liters of safe drinking water daily to Dhaka residents, cutting waterborne diseases by 60% according to preliminary data. Engineers leveraged Dutch hydrological models and local climate adaptation strategies to future-proof the system against monsoons and salinity intrusion.
Both stories underscore a truth for our interconnected world: Environmental challenges respect no borders, but neither do solutions.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
