As the initial steps of recovery from Hurricane Lala continue around the islands, there's a growing focus on dealing with the impact of different kinds of extreme weather. And that includes a new idea in South Korea.
While Hawaiʻi has been rocked by wind and rain and flooding, South Korea has been sweltering.
Earlier this month, heat records were shattered, including a high temperature of more than 108 degrees Fahrenheit.
In June, the central government set up a new national heat alert system because of the public health threat.
Now, the mayor of Seoul is taking a more aggressive step, guaranteeing “the right to walk in shade.”
The idea is to add trees and canopy coverings to sidewalks, making the right to walk in shade what he calls “a fundamental principle of Seoul's urban policy.”
The Joong Ang Daily reports the Seoul Metropolitan Government divided up the 2,500 miles of city sidewalks into segments of a meter — a little more than a yard, analyzing how much sun exposure each segment receives at different times of the day.
These will be matched with a map of common pedestrian routes to find out what areas are most urgently in need of more shade — prioritizing the planting of trees when possible.
Pilot projects will start this year, with the “right to walk in shade” policy set for full execution in 2028.
So far, no word on what the project is expected to cost.
