The floods and the climate

Severe floods have killed more than 190 people - mainly in Germany and Belgium, with the Netherlands also affected but avoiding fatalities. Now the big clean-up is beginning and evacuees are returning to their homes, although many have lost everything. Europe's press debates what to do about gaps in disaster prevention and how Europe can be better prepared for the effects of climate change.

Open/close all quotes
Rzeczpospolita (PL) /

Germany was ill prepared

Rzeczpospolita criticises Germany's outdated warning system:

“Unlike in the Netherlands, many Germans are not aware of the danger that floods pose. This is why there were so many victims. There is no SMS warning system in Germany, and the siren system, which was tested [nationwide] for the first time in 30 years in September 2020, showed deficiencies.”

De Volkskrant (NL) /

Reinforce protective measures

Unlike in Germany and Belgium, the floods in the Netherlands did not lead to a disaster - but it was close. De Volkskrant calls for adjustments:

“Thanks to the Maaswerken [flood protection measures on the river Meuse], which were started after the floods of 1993 and 1995, [the province of] Limburg narrowly escaped disaster. But here, too, the engineers need to get back to work. Now that it's clear that there's the risk of extreme water levels even in the middle of summer, all the calculations have to be revised. And the population needs to be reassured. Everyone has the right to live in a safe environment. The population of Limburg felt very unsafe due to the overwhelming force of the water. The state must make clear how it intends to control this force in the future.”

Club Z (BG) /

Undeniably the consequences of global warming

Even sceptics are seeing that what researchers and climate activists have been warning about is now becoming reality, writes Club Z:

“Some people believe that the extreme weather this year or in previous years is a local phenomenon, and that there is no evidence that it is a manifestation of climate change. But by now it should be clear to everyone, including these people, that the more greenhouse gases are emitted into the atmosphere, the warmer the Earth becomes. And the warmer the atmosphere, the more likely extreme weather events become. ... Even if we assume that torrential rains would occur from time to time without human activity, their destructive power is many times greater due to human activity.”

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (DE) /

Dreams of improving the world are no help

Combating extreme weather with CO2 reduction targets only won't be enough, fears the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung:

“The decarbonisation of the German economy will take decades. And since Germany only accounts for two percent of global CO2 emissions, the only way our weather will change is if China, the US, Russia, India and Japan follow suit. ... Therefore for the time being, it will be important to adapt life (and living) in Germany to the changed climate conditions. There is a lot to do, from setting up warning systems to putting protective measures in place in endangered areas. Since the Germans want to improve the world, there has been too little talk about these issues, which are essential for the everyday lives of citizens.”

La Repubblica (IT) /

Everyone looking out for their own interests

While people were being swept away by the floods, representatives of Italy, France and the Visegrád states were trying to water down the EU Commission's climate action plans in Brussels, Berlin correspondent Tonia Mastrobuoni grumbles in La Repubblica:

“Out of pure self-interest. Emmanuel Macron fears yellow vest protests if taxes on old and polluting fuels drive up the price of petrol. He is more worried about getting re-elected in less than a year than about the fate of millions of young people. ... Poland, which insists on keeping its coal, is afraid of losing its main source of energy. And Italy? The reasons for its resistance lie in decades of short-sighted policies, dictated by lobbies unwilling to go along with changes in energy policy and industry that, although costly, are necessary to avoid phenomena like those we are currently witnessing in the heart of Europe.”

Le Temps (CH) /

Laschet behind the times

The floods put the CDU candidate for chancellor in a very bad light, says Le Temps:

“For Armin Laschet, the catastrophes of the past few days are very bad news. The CDU leader and candidate to succeed Merkel is lagging behind when it comes to climate challenges. He says he wants to govern Germany like he has governed own state, North Rhine-Westphalia, and there he's created numerous obstacles to wind energy and continues to advocate the use of coal until 2038. He has just described the EU's climate plan as premature. His climate policy is vague and lacks ambition. If he wants to replace Merkel as chancellor in the autumn, he will have to revise his programme.”

Új Szó (SK) /

We won't succeed

Új Szó takes an extremely pessimistic view of the subject:

“Instead of infecting the earth like a virus, we could also live in symbiosis with it. That would be beneficial for everyone. But it is to be feared that humanity can no longer do this. We are unable to free ourselves away from the grasp of the consumer society, which is based on constant growth. Those who one day get the chance for a fresh start on a second Noah's Ark should learn from our fate.”