Urban Wetlands in the Tropics – Taiwan as an Example

We discuss the importance and role of urban wetlands using Taiwan as a model to illustrate how water could be managed to support a growing world population while facing the social, economic, and environmental uncertainties that arise as the effects of global change become more prominent. Taiwan was selected because the island is densely populated, rainfall is high, and landslides, earthquakes, and typhoons are common. These parameters, coupled with the impacts of population growth and global change, make Taiwan a good model where innovative strategies can be developed to manage water in an environmentally responsible and sustainable manner. By 2050, the global population is expected to increase by about two billion people and urban areas are expected to expand by about 30%. More people and a lack of space combined with sea-level rise and other aspects of global change are predicted to have substantial impacts on the world’s major coastal cities, such as Taipei. As such, innovative approaches to urban planning, including the development of strategies to recycle and use water sustainably, will be needed to maintain food and water security. Examples of constructed wetlands and the benefits provided are presented.