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Skybird · 06-04-23, 08:15 AM

"Save Italy or the climate?

Parts of Italy first suffered from drought, then the north was hit by a flood disaster. And in all cases - if you believe most of the German media - climate change is responsible. But perhaps we should first take a look at the recent past.

The year 2017 was also very dry in Emilia Romagna, with the Po River not even filling half of its bed. I asked the host of our agriturismo, located about 10 km from the Po, how he was coping with the drought. Our host just laughed, and explained that was no problem: he only needed to drill a good meter deep and already reached the groundwater.

Large areas of the Po Delta lie below sea level. The first attempts to cultivate the marshy plains were made by Duke Alfonso II De'Este, Duke of Ferrara, starting in 1580. It was not until the 1970s, with the help of steam-powered pumps, that large areas of the Po Valley were drained and made habitable and cultivable. Rice cultivation in the upper Po Valley in particular depends on fine control of drainage and irrigation.

In order to maintain a permanent balance between drying out and drying up in this hydrogeologically difficult terrain, the so-called Consorzii di bonificazione were formed, institutions under public law, financed by levies. These are responsible for the perpetual task of maintaining and developing dams, ditches, retention basins and pumping stations. These public institutions have had their work cut out for them in recent years: Wildlife and nature conservation considerations have been pushed to the forefront, bringing the maintenance work of the consorzii to a virtual standstill.

The mayor of Ravenna, Michele de Pascale, said that in recent years nonsensical priorities have been set. For example, priority had been given to protecting the nutrias that dig holes in the dikes. And one had largely renounced the cutting back of the vegetation. The relevant administrative regulations, the mayor said, "...protect the trees and the nutrias more than the people."

De Pascale demands more power and new means to be able to do again what is necessary in terms of bonificazione.

One precautionary measure taken by the municipality of Ravenna concerned e-vehicles. After a wet e-car caught fire, the municipality ordered that e-car owners cannot use their cars for 15 days, for the sake of public safety. The cars must be parked outside, at least 5 meters away from other vehicles or buildings.

Is there a political person responsible for the flood disaster? "Piove - governo ladro / it's raining, gang of thieves government" is a saying that caricatures the Italian tendency to blame the government for every evil. The government in Rome has only been in office for eight months, so attributing responsibility will be difficult. Although there are hardcore leftists like Roberto Saviano, the former mafia hunter, who are also trying to do that, indicting the government for not stopping climate change so far.

Emilia Romagna, however, like Tuscany, has been firmly in the hands of the left since the end of the war, formerly the PCI, now the Partito Democratico. The old left used to have a reputation for clean administration. The new left in Italy is also woke and ecosocialist. More important than maintaining the complex irrigation and drainage systems of the Po Valley, and more important than the projected but so far only partially realized construction of new retention basins, is the fight against climate change. And in Italy, that means above all installing photovoltaic systems. If climate change is also to blame for the last devastating flood, these plants must consequently be the best protection against further flooding.

Massimiliano Fazzini, the geologist responsible for climate risks at the Italian Society for Environmental Geology, explains in an interview that the political pressure for climate protection in the regional government of Emilia Romagna was so massive that nothing has been done in terms of infrastructure in the last ten years. Fazzini: "You can't say no to everything, otherwise we'll be ruined in 10 years." "
https://www.achgut.com/artikel/italien_retten_oder_das_klima

06-04-23, 08:15 AM	#93
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 40,514 Downloads: 9 Uploads: 0	"Save Italy or the climate? Parts of Italy first suffered from drought, then the north was hit by a flood disaster. And in all cases - if you believe most of the German media - climate change is responsible. But perhaps we should first take a look at the recent past. The year 2017 was also very dry in Emilia Romagna, with the Po River not even filling half of its bed. I asked the host of our agriturismo, located about 10 km from the Po, how he was coping with the drought. Our host just laughed, and explained that was no problem: he only needed to drill a good meter deep and already reached the groundwater. Large areas of the Po Delta lie below sea level. The first attempts to cultivate the marshy plains were made by Duke Alfonso II De'Este, Duke of Ferrara, starting in 1580. It was not until the 1970s, with the help of steam-powered pumps, that large areas of the Po Valley were drained and made habitable and cultivable. Rice cultivation in the upper Po Valley in particular depends on fine control of drainage and irrigation. In order to maintain a permanent balance between drying out and drying up in this hydrogeologically difficult terrain, the so-called Consorzii di bonificazione were formed, institutions under public law, financed by levies. These are responsible for the perpetual task of maintaining and developing dams, ditches, retention basins and pumping stations. These public institutions have had their work cut out for them in recent years: Wildlife and nature conservation considerations have been pushed to the forefront, bringing the maintenance work of the consorzii to a virtual standstill. The mayor of Ravenna, Michele de Pascale, said that in recent years nonsensical priorities have been set. For example, priority had been given to protecting the nutrias that dig holes in the dikes. And one had largely renounced the cutting back of the vegetation. The relevant administrative regulations, the mayor said, "...protect the trees and the nutrias more than the people." De Pascale demands more power and new means to be able to do again what is necessary in terms of bonificazione. One precautionary measure taken by the municipality of Ravenna concerned e-vehicles. After a wet e-car caught fire, the municipality ordered that e-car owners cannot use their cars for 15 days, for the sake of public safety. The cars must be parked outside, at least 5 meters away from other vehicles or buildings. Is there a political person responsible for the flood disaster? "Piove - governo ladro / it's raining, gang of thieves government" is a saying that caricatures the Italian tendency to blame the government for every evil. The government in Rome has only been in office for eight months, so attributing responsibility will be difficult. Although there are hardcore leftists like Roberto Saviano, the former mafia hunter, who are also trying to do that, indicting the government for not stopping climate change so far. Emilia Romagna, however, like Tuscany, has been firmly in the hands of the left since the end of the war, formerly the PCI, now the Partito Democratico. The old left used to have a reputation for clean administration. The new left in Italy is also woke and ecosocialist. More important than maintaining the complex irrigation and drainage systems of the Po Valley, and more important than the projected but so far only partially realized construction of new retention basins, is the fight against climate change. And in Italy, that means above all installing photovoltaic systems. If climate change is also to blame for the last devastating flood, these plants must consequently be the best protection against further flooding. Massimiliano Fazzini, the geologist responsible for climate risks at the Italian Society for Environmental Geology, explains in an interview that the political pressure for climate protection in the regional government of Emilia Romagna was so massive that nothing has been done in terms of infrastructure in the last ten years. Fazzini: "You can't say no to everything, otherwise we'll be ruined in 10 years." " https://www.achgut.com/artikel/italien_retten_oder_das_klima __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.