“The tragedy is already Europe's worst flood-related disaster in a single country since 1967, when at least some 500 people died in Portugal. Scientists say extreme weather events are becoming more frequent in Europe and elsewhere due to climate change. Meteorologists think the warming of the Mediterranean, which increases water evaporation, plays a key role in making torrential rains more severe.” - Reuters
The floods last week in Valencia were a tragedy. “A tragedy of absolutely incredible dimensions” is what the country’s national newspaper declared. My heart breaks for those affected. They are calling it a new generation of cold drops (aka gota fría aka DANA) with unprecedented intensity and persistence. Eerily similar to the new generation of wildfires in North America. Our time here has reminded us of the crisis our planet faces. Locals talk about longer summers, hotter summers, shorter winters, less snow. In Verbier my friends talked about unprecendented snowpack behavior that makes backcountry ski travel so much more challenging. They shared stories of lives lost in the mountains. Of course I’ve been reading about the impact of climate change in Europe for years. The past few months gave me a front row seat. And against the backdrop of all this, the carbon footprint of this trip is not lost on me. What am I doing to be part of the solution? I know it could be more.
Source: Daily Mail UK
Comments