If you were walking along the path on an island in Gothenberg’s archipelago, you might have thought you’d run into another selfie-mad idiot, but that’s me doing a TV interview on drought in the Netherlands.
Only a few seconds of that interview was aired (I show up at 2:40), but my main points — that farmers and nature would bear the brunt, unlike citizens who would still have 24/7 drinking water — have been showing up in the news, along with some interesting infrastructure implications:
- A Dutch farmer nearly “lost his crop” because his fruit were too small for “commercial distribution.” People might need to get used to smaller fruit with (maybe a benefit) more taste.
- Many of Amsterdam’s bridges are “locked open” because their metal parts have expanded in the heat. Near me, the bridges are getting hosed down with (canal) water all day to try to reduce heating.
- Rivers flowing into the Netherlands have less water, so barges can only take partial loads, which means that shipping costs and barge congestion are rising.
My one-handed conclusion is that heat waves and drought, which are getting worse with climate disruption, are going to cause a lot of trouble for people as well as lower our standard of living. (I just spent €50 on a fan that I could have spent on wine!)
In a country where I live, that wine investment for unnecessary personal pleasure could’ve been used economically for saving someone’s precious life or maybe invested against terrorism. (with all due respect only my opinion, not being personal)
a fine investment on a fan rather on wine in such circumstances.