Let’s get one thing straight: the recent flooding in Valencia, Spain, has nothing to do with climate change and everything to do with neglect of infrastructure needs and poor urban planning. [emphasis, links added]
It’s almost laughable how quickly politicians and the mainstream media (MSM) have labeled this a “climate-induced catastrophe”.
But look closer and you'll see that these floods are not only predictable, they're preventable.
what happened in valencia
Just yesterday, Valencia was hit by heavy rainfall, causing severe flooding in parts of the city. The MSM was quick to declare this a “climate crisis” story, with headlines sounding the alarm about climate change.
But what is left unsaid? Valencia has faced flooding for centuries. This is not a new phenomenon related to rising carbon dioxide concentrations. This is the result of decades of reckless planning decisions and a refusal to address clear risks.
After the devastating floods of 1957 (discussed below), city planners took the bold step of redirecting the Turia River to the south of the city, a brilliant structural repair intended to save the city from Tragedy ahead.
But what did they do next? They are directly causing harm by allowing unrestricted development around this newly created flood channel. The worst flooding yesterday occurred in these extensions (circled below).
Decades of ignoring the obvious have led to predictable failures, and no amount of “climate crisis” rhetoric will change that.
Blaming climate change instead of accountability
There’s a clear irony here: City planners and politicians ignored flood risks in their rush to expand development and are now blaming climate change for a crisis of their own making.
Instead of taking responsibility for failing to protect the residents they were entrusted to serve, they found an easy way out.
The “climate change” narrative diverts attention from their mistakes and easily aligns with an agenda that justifies increased spending on policies that fail to solve real problems.
For decades, Valencian leaders ignored the historical context. Paleoclimate data and records indicate The area has faced severe flooding for more than a thousand years, with flood records dating back to the 11th century.
The infamous flood of 1957 remains one of the worst, and it occurred during a time when carbon dioxide concentrations were much lower. Yet despite overwhelming evidence that flooding is a historical constant, The MSM and politicians are eager to promote “unprecedented” stories of climate disaster.
The 1957 Flood and Misused Solutions
The disaster of 1957 should serve as a lasting lesson. Valencia took immediate action to reroute the Turia River to protect its urban core. But instead of maintaining this safe buffer zone, politicians and planners are using rerouted pipelines as development opportunities and treating flood protection as mere guidelines. They built in areas that were supposed to be safeguards, but no city planner worth their salt would approve of this move.
Yesterday's floods hit hardest these developed areas, which have long ignored nature's warning signs. This is a case of irresponsibility disguised as climate alarm, where political convenience trumps public safety.
After all, it’s easier to talk about carbon emissions than to talk about them. Admit they let builders turn floodplains into residential areas.
Media and Political Spin: Selling Fear
Media coverage of the Valencia floods revealed a clear agenda. this daily mail The report stresses that flooding is “catastrophic” due to climate change, but completely avoids the historical context.
There is no mention of the 1957 floods, and no recognition that Valencia's infrastructure was never designed to cope with the massive development that followed the diversion of the river.
By focusing exclusively on climate change, the media misleads readers into thinking that these floods are new and that they are a product of our “modern” environment, rather than the result of centuries of natural change and short-sighted urban management.
Top image via ABC News/YouTube screencap
Irrational Fear is written by climatologist Dr. Matthew Wielicki and is supported by readers. If you value what you read here, please consider subscribing and supporting the work.
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