in low-lying areas -- The Netherlands , Polynesia , Bangladesh -- the ecopolis , its creator believes , could be the answer to mass human displacement that global warming is predicted to cause . In its most recent 2007 report the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicted sea levels will rise by 60-90 cm during this century . Some climate scientists like James Hansen think that if greenhouse gas emissions are n't checked then those figures might be much , much worse . In practice , Callebaut envisages the Lilypad sailing the seas , following currents like a futuristic cruise ship . He also thinks that it could `` widen sustainability in offshore territories of the most developed countries such as Monaco '' . You ca n't help thinking that the well-heeled residents of the Principality might have a thing or two to say about 50,000 climatic refugees bobbing around in the harbour , but you can not fault Callebaut 's ambition . His previous creations -- showcased on his website -- reveal an imagination working at full throttle with sustainable design lying at its heart . Anti-Smog -- a prototype of depolluting architecture and Ecomic -- an ecotower rising
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The concept may be radical , but it might just have to be if the worst predictions of climate change are realized . The Lilypad as imagined by architect Vincent Callebaut moored off the coast of Monaco . The Lilypad , a floating ecopolis for climatic refugees , is the creation of Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut . `` It is '' he says , `` a true amphibian , half aquatic and half terrestrial city , able to accommodate 50,000 inhabitants and inviting biodiversity '' . Callebaut imagines his structure at 250 times the scale of a lilypad , with a skin made of polyester fibres coated in titanium dioxide which would react with ultraviolet light and absorb atmospheric pollution . The Lilypad comprises of three marinas and three mountain regions with streets and structures strewn with foliage . `` The goal is to create a harmonious coexistence of humans and nature , '' said Callebaut . With a central fresh water lagoon acting as ballast , the whole construction would be carbon neutral utilizing solar , thermal , wind , hydraulic , tidal and osmotic energies . With high density populations living