"Lilypad" Cities Designed To Combat Rising Sea Levels (PHOTOS)

Scientists are preparing to deal with 'climate-change refugees' as rising sea levels threaten ever more lands. Architect Vincent Callebaut has come up with an inspired solution: "Lilypad" cities that will essentially be giant, self-sustaining ships floating across the world's seas (from Daily Mail, scroll down for photos):

The Lilypad has been designed by award-winning Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut who says the 'ecopolis' offers a long term solution to the looming problem of rising sea levels.

As land-based cities flood, the Lilypad will be able to float around the world like a giant ship.

He said: 'The design of the city is inspired by the shape of the great Amazonia Victoria Regia lilypad.

'Some countries spend billions of pounds working on making their beaches and dams bigger and stronger.

'But the Lilypad project is actually a long term solution to the problem of the water rising.

'And it has the other objective of providing housing for refugees from islands that have been submerged.'

Centred around a lake which collects and then purifies rain water, the Lilypad will drift around the world following the ocean currents and streams.

It will be accessed by three marinas and will also feature three 'mountains' to offer the inhabitants a change of scenery.

Power will be provided through a series of renewable energy sources including solar, thermal, wind energy, hydraulic and a tidal power station.

The city will actually produce much more energy than it consumes and be entirely 'zero-emission' as all the carbon-dioxide and the waste will be recycled.

Mr Callebaut added: 'It's an amphibious city without any roads or any cars.

Photos from Inhabitat.com