Historical background

• Almost every major city developed beside a river.

• City residents originally used rivers for travel, catching fish and leisure.

• Later industrial expansion and population growth resulted in: - a greater volume of household sewage entering the water - contamination from 1.  located along the riverbank.
• In 1957, the River Thames in London was described as biologically 2. .

Recent improvements

• Seals and even a 3.  have been spotted in the River Thames.
• Former riverside warehouses are turned into restaurants and 4. .
• In Los Angeles, proposals include creating a riverside 5.  and exhibiting 6.  projects.
• In Paris, temporary 7.  are established beside the river each summer.

Transport possibilities

• More than two billion city passengers already travel by 8.  worldwide.
• Rather than using roads, goods could arrive on large freight barges and continue by electric 9.  or, in the future, by 10. .