Climate Crisis: Are we doing enough?

[fozy tornip]

A1 dualling north of Morpeth cancelled.

Huzzah!

 

[matticus]

As far as I can see, there is little or nothing for transport in the Northumberland, Tyneside, Wearside, Teeside area. Nothing about Metro extension, no new or updated rail links.

Clearly there should be.

 

[AndyRM]

Having bemoaned the lack of investment in the Metro system here yesterday, this morning I saw one of the new carriages in the wild. They're long overdue for a variety of reasons, but they're teasingly close now!

 

[Fab Foodie]

Spain just witnessed huge floods with an unprecedented 1years worth of rain falling in 8 hours.
How is that even possible.
No country can be prepared for that sort of volume of water.

Been watching Valencia, (I recently visited a customer there so have some familiarity with the place), and OMG, it's horrific. The dead and injured, and the sheer amount of devastation wrought in just 24hrs.
Terry Christian (he of 'The Word' infamy), posted on Insta the other day a picture of cars stacked one on another where the floods had piled-them up and commented with a certain irony that this is why JSO were causing traffic jams on the M25....

 

[matticus]

Been watching Valencia, (I recently visited a customer there so have some familiarity with the place), and OMG, it's horrific. The dead and injured, and the sheer amount of devastation wrought in just 24hrs.
Terry Christian (he of 'The Word' infamy), posted on Insta the other day a picture of cars stacked one on another where the floods had piled-them up and commented with a certain irony that this is why JSO were causing traffic jams on the M25....

Local Facebook page: We just need to clear the drains more often.

 

[BoldonLad]

Having bemoaned the lack of investment in the Metro system here yesterday, this morning I saw one of the new carriages in the wild. They're long overdue for a variety of reasons, but they're teasingly close now!

View attachment 6841

I don't understand why they are not in use. The first of them must be two years old now, and, have not carried a single passenger (other than perhaps jollies for Councillors etc).

 

[Psamathe]

Local Facebook page: We just need to clear the drains more often.

I generally see such responses as those impacted needing somebody to blame. Blaming drains means it's the fault of the local Council (or authorities), whereas blaming Climate Change puts it beyond holding people to account with short term solutions. Same when eg people blame the failures to properly dredge the water courses in the Somerset Levels. Looking upstream to removed forests, efficient and clear ditches, lack of beavers, etc. doesn't provide a direct target of blame nor immediate solutions. Similar with Norfolk costal erosion.

I remember many years ago reading research from Scotland where flooding was resolved by throwing bales of straw in ditches upstream (must have been 20 years ago so I don't have links).

Ian

 

[BoldonLad]

Been watching Valencia, (I recently visited a customer there so have some familiarity with the place), and OMG, it's horrific. The dead and injured, and the sheer amount of devastation wrought in just 24hrs.
Terry Christian (he of 'The Word' infamy), posted on Insta the other day a picture of cars stacked one on another where the floods had piled-them up and commented with a certain irony that this is why JSO were causing traffic jams on the M25....

Rather pleasant city, Valencia, with some good cycling infrastructure.

It does have a history of flooding (1957, and earlier, I think).

I believe the River (don't know the name) was diverted in the early 1900s to alleviate flooding, perhaps Nature had other ideas.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Rather pleasant city, Valencia, with some good cycling infrastructure.

It does have a history of flooding (1957, and earlier, I think).

I believe the River (don't know the name) was diverted in the early 1900s to alleviate flooding, perhaps Nature had other ideas.

Yes, a lovely place. I think it's not an uncommon weather event, but as we have seen worldwide is that the severity of these episodes is so much greater and possibly more frequent than we've seen in the recordable past....

 

[Fab Foodie]

lack of beavers, etc.

Ian

The Incels thread is ----->

 

[matticus]

"Local Facebook page: We just need to clear the drains more often "

I generally see such responses as those impacted needing somebody to blame. Blaming drains means it's the fault of the local Council (or authorities), whereas blaming Climate Change puts it beyond holding people to account with short term solutions. Same when eg people blame the failures to properly dredge the water courses in the Somerset Levels. Looking upstream to removed forests, efficient and clear ditches, lack of beavers, etc. doesn't provide a direct target of blame nor immediate solutions. Similar with Norfolk costal erosion.

I remember many years ago reading research from Scotland where flooding was resolved by throwing bales of straw in ditches upstream (must have been 20 years ago so I don't have links).

Ian

Every time I've seen these comments - here at home, NOT on Spanish facebook! - they are blatantly made by Climate Change Deniers. We had very localised flooding last month due to 2 days of obscene rainfall figures. Certain estate roads flooded (just to a few cm) that had never done before.
"Nothing to do with increased rain - the council need to maintain the drains better!"

But broadly I think your post is correct!

 

[mjr]

Yes, a lovely place. I think it's not an uncommon weather event, but as we have seen worldwide is that the severity of these episodes is so much greater and possibly more frequent than we've seen in the recordable past....

From what I gathered off foreign TV, it seems that Valencia suffered so much because some areas were hit by a 3m surge of muddy water in the dark night with alerts sent about 30minutes before. The Spanish met office had been warning about the rain since the morning, so I wonder what went wrong. https://www.elperiodico.com/es/opin...ncia-alarma-sono-tarde-isabel-olmos-110898399