Increasing heat, extreme precipitation, longer periods of drought and rising sea levels. The message of a new KNMI report, which outlines various scenarios for the coming century, is alarming. Even in the most optimistic scenario, the consequences of climate change are significant.
The KNMI outlines four different future scenarios that show how the climate will continue to change in the future, depending on the level of greenhouse gas emissions. In all scenarios, temperatures and sea levels will rise, it will become drier in summer and wetter in winter and precipitation will become more extreme.
We meet with climate literacy lecturer Janette Bessembinder at the AUAS on Wibautstraat. “In petrified places like this, it will become increasingly uncomfortably warm. In this HvA building, for example, it may become too hot to teach and stay concentrated.”
The rising temperature in the city will also affect the night’s sleep of Amsterdam residents. “At the moment there are on average two tropical nights per year,” says Bessembinder. “In 100 years’ time, if emissions continue to increase, we will be in the city on about 25 of those nights per year. That will really have an impact on vulnerable Amsterdam residents.”
“Measures taken are not enough”
According to councilor Melanie van der Horst (Public Space and Green), Amsterdam, as a low-lying delta city, is vulnerable to flooding due to sea level rise and extreme precipitation. According to her, the consequences of extreme heat are also serious for the city. She points out that greenery can provide cooling, but that young trees and plants in the city are vulnerable to drought. Drought can also cause subsidence.
Van der Horst in a letter to the council: “We already know that the measures we are taking now are not enough to properly prepare Amsterdam for the future climate that the KNMI has outlined. This requires action. I will come as soon as possible We will get back to you with what additional steps we need to take to address this with the necessary urgency.”
2023-10-11 05:04:24
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