TED Talks Daily: "Floating Farms, Sponge Cities and the Climate Solutions Already Working"

Speaker: Harjeet Singh
Date: September 11, 2025
Location: TED Countdown Summit, Nairobi, Kenya

Overview

Climate justice advocate Harjeet Singh delivers an inspiring talk on the realities of climate change adaptation. Drawing from global grassroots examples and personal stories, he highlights practical, locally-driven solutions that are already saving lives—such as floating farms in Bangladesh and sponge cities across Asia. Singh firmly argues that adaptation cannot be separated from development, and that real change must start from the ground up. He calls for support at both policy and community levels, encouraging everyone to use their unique skills to contribute to climate resilience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Human Spirit & Power to Adapt

• Harjeet Singh opens with optimism about humanity's capacity to adapt, despite the "doom and gloom" of the climate crisis.
• Quote:

  "I have immense faith in humanity and our collective superpower which is our ability to adapt. We have adapted for centuries, except the scale and speed that are required now are unprecedented and each one of us has to play our part." (03:55)

The Story of Kamlesh Kushwaha (Bundelkhand, India)

• Kamlesh, an organic farmer in a drought-prone region, successfully adapted to drastic conditions using innovative, timely solutions:
  • Strategic crop planning and adjusting planting times per climate shifts.
  • Installing solar-powered irrigation, supported by government programs.
• Quote:

  "Kamle's story is not just about survival, it's about the human spirit. It's about the power of people to make a difference if they get the right kind of support and in a timely manner." (05:23)

2. What Is Adaptation?

• Singh explains adaptation as practical readiness for climatic uncertainty:
  • "Imagine you are stepping out of home wearing a T-shirt, carrying a water bottle for the heat, but you are also carrying an umbrella for the unexpected rain and a jacket for the evening chill." (06:01)
• For countries, adaptation goes far beyond individual preparedness—it demands large-scale planning and resources.

3. The Inseparability of Adaptation and Development

• Singh asserts "there can be no adaptation without development" (06:50), connecting current vulnerability to historical and systemic inequities.
• Contrasts two coastal nations:
  1. Netherlands—prosperity and resilience built on centuries of resource accumulation and smart planning.
  2. Bangladesh—ongoing struggles due to a legacy of colonial exploitation.
  • Cites Utsa Patnaik’s research:
    "the British took approximately $45 trillion from the Indian subcontinent between 1765 to 1938." (08:00)
• Poorer nations are often caught in a cycle of debt and are least able to invest in resilient infrastructure, despite facing the harshest impacts.

4. Global Impact – Not Just a Developing World Issue

• Singh underlines that climate impacts are now overwhelming even wealthy nations—citing:
  • Floods in Germany,
  • Wildfires in Australia and Canada,
  • Frequent superstorms in the U.S.
• Quote:

  "They always thought it's a developing country issue. On the contrary, they kept increasing the fossil fuel extraction, which we all know is the cause of the climate crisis." (10:52)

5. Economic Case for Adaptation

• Citing research by the Global Commission on Adaptation and the World Resources Institute, Singh notes:
  • For every $1 invested in adaptation, at least $4–$10 is saved on disaster response later. (11:45)
• Quote:

  "So there's a very strong economic case to invest in adaptation." (11:54)

Grassroots & Policy Solutions

A. Floating Farms in Bangladesh (12:08)

• Innovative response to persistent flooding; farms built on floating rafts of bamboo, soil, and compost.
• Quote:

  "So when floodwaters rise, these farms float, lifting the produce safely above the water. How brilliant is that? So your farms learn to swim." (12:24)

B. Sponge Cities (12:48)

• Cities like Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Singapore adapt by creating green infrastructure:
  • Porous pavements, urban wetlands, rooftop gardens, and more parks.
• Quote:

  "Instead of fighting excess water, they are working to make friends with it." (12:56)

  • These measures not only improve flood resilience, but also clean air and cool neighborhoods.

C. Large-Scale Initiatives: Ethiopia's Productive Safety Net Program (13:30)

• Not just food aid during droughts, but large-scale public works: soil and water conservation, irrigation, and land restoration.
• Quote:

  "You're using the resource which is there for immediate relief to invest into long-term adaptation and resilience. Now that's a masterpiece of common sense." (13:45)

What Can You Do? (14:02)

Policy-Level Action

• Push for resilience policies and equitable transition away from fossil fuels.
• Singh advocates for a fossil fuel treaty.
• Wealthy nations must support developing countries, as they have an "outsized responsibility." (14:20)

Individual & Community-Level Action

• Every skill is relevant:
  • Educators: Teach and inspire action, not just awareness.
  • Engineers: "You can be the Tony Stark of adaptation."
  • Artists: Use creativity to reach hearts and communicate resilience with hope.
• Quote:

  "You don't need to be a climatologist for that." (14:35)

Closing Thoughts & Memorable Quotes

• Singh’s Call to Action:

  "Let us start accepting the reality that climate change is upon us and it has brought uncertainty and unpredictability on a daily basis. We need to apply a climate lens to every activity so that we can make adaptation and development go hand in hand." (14:52)

• Final Words:

  "Collectively we can build a safer future by spreading solutions and hope everywhere." (15:11)

Notable Moments & Timestamps

• [03:37] – Introduction and optimism about adaptation
• [04:39] – Kamlesh’s story of climate-smart farming
• [06:01] – Definition of adaptation (umbrella metaphor)
• [06:50] – “No adaptation without development” mantra
• [08:00] – Scale of colonial extraction and its impact
• [10:52] – Developed nations' miscalculation and fossil fuels
• [11:45] – Economic return on adaptation investments
• [12:24] – Floating farms in Bangladesh
• [12:56] – Sponge cities concept
• [13:30] – Ethiopia’s policy-level adaptation program
• [14:20] – Fossil fuel treaty and global responsibility
• [14:35] – Everyone can play a role
• [14:52] – Climate as daily reality and collective hope

This summary captures Harjeet Singh’s essential message: that hope, practical innovation, and justice are the foundation for a climate-resilient future—and everyone, everywhere, has a role to play.