“When the well’s dry, we know the worth of water.” – Benjamin Franklin.

It covers more than two-thirds of our planet and makes up more than half of our body composition. It sparks life, grows food, and has the power to carve through mountains and shape the earth. Water is one of humanity’s most precious resources, and we must do everything we can to conserve its natural balance.

We’ve seen evidence of climate change causing worsening droughts around the world, with an impact on farmland and a decrease in crop yields. Due to expanding urbanisation causing water to deviate from its natural path, we’ve also seen the onset of rapid, unnatural flooding. Sustainability has never been more important, and thankfully for us, bright minds and passionate people around the world are on the case.

One such group is Rain for Climate, an innovative Slovak startup which is working to restore ecosystem stability around the world. The team from Velké Záluží has ​​designed a solution which can help areas which have lost water, or those with unnatrual flooding recover, using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse aerial data gathered by drones. Once this is done, the team can provide bespoke solutions for each individual case – whether it’s a suburban garden or acres of forest or farmland.

Hydrating the Earth

The expansion of cities and asphalt roads, along with the industrialisation of agriculture and forests disrupts local water cycles by diverting water from its natural routes. This can lead to frequent droughts and dehydration. In the other extreme, urban structures can cause water to rapidly pool in a localised area, causing flooding after torrential rain, leading to instability, and having a knock-on effect on local economies.

Over the last two hundred years, more than 760 billion cubic meters of rainwater has deviated from its natural course. This missing water has lead to cases of droughts, floods and fires, as well as contributing to rising ocean levels.



