The Giant Sea Wall in Indonesia, Rassvet (Dawn) Low-Orbit Satellite Constellation in Russia, the World’s First Office Building with Zero CO₂ Emissions, and the World’s Fastest Train in China, Master Plan for Delhi’s Drainage System.
Indonesia is proceeding to implement in practice an ambitious infrastructure initiative involving construction of the Giant Sea Wall along the northern coast of the island of Java. The project envisions measures to strengthen the coastline, as well as construct a dike in the open sea.
According to the country’s President Prabowo Subianto, the sea level is rising by 5 cm a year. This threatens, among other things, to flood rice fields, which are Indonesia’s main food reserve.
The complex of engineering structures on Java will help protect about 50 million people and 60% of the nation’s industry against flooding, coastline erosion, rising groundwater levels, and other hazards
The sea wall will be 535 km long, with a planned construction period of 20 years. The estimated cost of the project is USD 80 billion, to be funded through public-private partnerships.
In December 2025, the Russian company Bureau 1440 plans to launch serial deployment of the Rassvet (Dawn) low-orbit satellite constellation. The project’s purpose is to provide broadband Internet access to users all over Russia.
The advantages of satellite communications consist in high data transfer speeds (up to 1 Gb/sec), low signal latency, and global coverage. This project is important, first and foremost, for territories where it is difficult or economically impractical to deploy standard telecommunications infrastructure, primarily in the sparsely populated areas of the Arctic, Siberia, and the Far East. High-quality communications are expected to be in demand by commercial consumers: logistics and transport companies, agricultural producers, and industrial enterprises. Satellite communications will also facilitate more active development of Russia’s unmanned devices sector.
At the end of 2025, several dozen satellites are to be launched into orbit from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. The Rassvet constellation will initially consist of 350 satellites, rising in number by 2035 to over 900. Launch of the commercial service is planned for 2027, when the number of satellites in orbit reaches 250.
The world already has examples of successfully operating multi-satellite systems. These include the American Starlink (SpaceX), Project Kuiper (Amazon), the Chinese Guowang state satellite network, and others.
China has commissioned the world’s first zero-carbon-emission high-rise building, thereby setting a new standard for eco-friendly construction. The 117‑metre office complex in Qingdao (Shandong Province) is powered 100% by energy from renewable sources.
Unlike traditional “green” buildings, where solar panels are located on the roof, in this project they are integrated directly into the building’s walls. Excess energy generated by the photovoltaic façades during the day is stored in used electric vehicle batteries for use at night.
Lighting, air conditioning, and lifts are automatically controlled by 24 thousand micro-sensors, allowing energy consumption to be reduced by a third and annual CO₂ emissions to be cut by 2.5 thousand tonnes.
According to China’s National Energy Administration, in the first half of 2025, renewable energy accounted for 91.5% of China’s newly installed capacity.
The new Chinese CR450 ultra-high-speed train is called the world’s fastest train: it is capable of accelerating to 453 km/h, which is an absolute record for rail transport. It is currently undergoing a series of pre-operational tests: the train has to cover about 600 thousand km, after which it will be approved for regular operation on the country’s high-speed lines.
The CR450 has been developed on the basis of the previous CR400 high-speed train, which is widely used in China. Engineers have improved the aerodynamics by elongating the train’s nose, lowering the body height by 20 cm, and reducing the total weight by 50 tonnes. These measures have allowed for a 22% reduction in air resistance.
The CR450 train can accelerate from 0 to 350 km/h in 4 minutes 40 seconds. At the same time, the braking distance from 400 km/h to zero is still 6,500 metres, the same as that of its slower predecessor
Although the CR450 is capable of maintaining a speed of 450 km/h, in normal mode it will operate at a speed of 400 km/h. Yet, even this figure will allow the travel time between China’s biggest cities to be halved. For comparison: during test trials, the existing CR400 train reached a maximum speed of 420 km/h, while the average speed in regular commercial operation is 350 km/h.
The capital’s authorities have approved a large-scale plan for modernizing the city’s stormwater drainage system. The main goal is to protect the city against the consequences of climate change, major floods, and waterlogging of land.
Rapid urbanization over the last 50 years has increased the built-up area of Delhi and reduced natural precipitation absorption areas. This problem is characteristic of most Indian cities: according to research, if the urban infrastructure remains unchanged, the economic damage to India from floods will exceed USD 5 billion by 2030.
The stormwater drainage Master Plan in Delhi is the first major change since 1976. It covers the entire city and provides for construction of new stormwater pipes, pumping stations, drainage channels, and other infrastructure. At the same time, the Master Plan accounts for an 11% increase in precipitation linked to climate change. It is planned to implement a smart system for real-time water level monitoring and integration with meteorological data for flood forecasting purposes. The authorities will also make city parks and recreational areas part of the drainage system. This will improve the ecology and preserve biodiversity.
The plan will be implemented in stages: first, the drainage system of the most vulnerable and flood-prone areas of the city will be modernized. The Delhi authorities expect this project not only to minimize flooding but also reduce economic losses during the monsoon season.
