Extreme weather as a harbinger of global warming

Last week the Romanian government declared a state of emergency in several areas of the country owing to record temperatures. These have been soaring for weeks, sometimes reaching 41 degrees Celsius. So far more than 30 people have died and over 10,000 have had to receive medical attention. Adrian Cercelescu reports: "Shops selling electronic appliances are registering record sales of air conditioners and city dwellers are drinking water so fast that supermarkets can no longer keep up with the demand and farmers are digging for water as if it were oil... What are we going to do about the country's agricultural sector, now that 60 percent of the harvest is already ruined and total crop failure is likely? There are two solutions: either we change our technology or switch to growing kiwis and bananas... Or we could just forget about agriculture altogether and focus on tourism instead! Let's put down our hoes, wear sun hats as the health ministry advises and flee to the sea."

» full article (external link, Romanian)
More from the press review on the subject » Health Policy, » Environmental Policy, » Romania