NAPLES, Italy: Solutions to the biggest threats facing our planet lie underground, according to experts who insist climate change, overpopulation and food shortages can all be tackled by going subterranean.
"Underground spaces could easily be used for growing crops," he said, as he toured the cavernous Bourbon Tunnel, dug deep under the Italian city of Naples as a potential escape route for King Ferdinand II of Bourbon after the 1848 riots. "You can also think about underground car parks: we know that cars are killing cities. We're moving towards electrical vehicles, autonomous vehicles. So the question is, will those spaces still be needed in the future in the way they are now?
From Boston to Oslo, Rio de Janeiro, Seattle and Sydney, structures such as multi-lane highways are being moved underground, with the disused spaces converted into parks, according to urban planner Antonia Conaro. Trees planted in new green areas will do their bit to help rein in climate change, as well as help prevent soil degradation.
"For flooding, and also for other natural disasters, it can really help make the city more resilient to exploit the underground for shelter," Cornaro said.