Desert Romania

The clime red code now in Romania shouldn't have taken authorities by surprise, because the progress towards boiling temperatures ceased to be a mystery here a long while ago. But given the traditionally poor efficiency of Romanian administration, regardless of hierarchy positions and political orientation, population, cattle and agriculture have all been left in good God's care. Who can make it makes it, who cannot gets registered in minister Nicolaescu's documents as "less insured". The global heating effects are growing more and more visible in Romania. As far as short-term estimations are concerned, the predictable consequences of the heating climate can harm Romania severely. (...)
Given the record temperatures hitting southern Spain, Portugal and Romania, the authorities here, both central and local, had enough reasons to draw strategies and plans to diminish the devastating effects of the drought and heat. But no one in charge of it has cared about the desert menacing to invade a significant part of the Romanian territory.
Climate changes may be irreversible
Experts don't share views on whether the heating of the planet is irreversible or not. Some think it won't lead to the extinction of mankind and human life such as we know them today and they believe this is a transient phenomenon. The others claim the opposite.
Professor Sterie Ciulache, dean of the Meteorology and Hydrology Department in the Faculty of Geography, the University of Bucharest, also a head of the Center for Physics-Geography Research and Environment Impact, argues measures are urgently needed: "Since it is situated in the temperate region of Europe, Romania will reach the same situation reached by the other states in the temperate continental area. It will grow warmer and warmer, there will follow hot summers and floods and fast switching between the two. It may last a few decades. Temperatures may grow either too high or too low as compared to the average. And then everything will get normal again. There are several climatologists and geophysicists who trust this theory. But they believe in the atmosphere system there are retroversion resources, meaning there will follow processes able to neat the climate differences".
Politicians' carelessness
Even if nature can find resources to counter the effects of the true murders politicians commit by killing the environment, things will be worrying for future generations too. The state of things is very serious in Romania, as in the 17 years elapsed since the 1989 Revolution the only positive measure taken was to close down some industrial mammoths because they were great pollution producers.
Romanian authorities have done very little to improve the state of the environment, they have just been glad that Romania can sell fresh air. Professor Ciulache warns: "(...) Measures must be taken now, even if they cost a lot! Stop the deforesting and start massive foresting, especially in southern Romania, but in the mountains too. And there are all the other measures, well known, but too little applied. They can make the heating climate of Romania normal again".
South is most jeopardized
Cristian Hera, a president of the Agriculture and Forestry Sciences "Gheorghe Ionescu-Sisesti" claims agriculture will he harmed by such changes too: "The structure of the plants grown will certainly change, especially the kinds and hybrids to follow in the next 50 years. (...) Rights now the desert coming phenomenon is harming Dobrogea most. But the desert is also reaching the south too. Its intensification depends a lot on the technological culture means to be used. Due to the quality of its soils, Romania can be sure of its food security. But unless forests are grown on large surfaces to prevent the desert from spreading, serious difficulties may follow. In the south there have already come longer and longer times of drought. To diminish their negative effects we must add to the water in the soil water from irrigation". (...)
Saving up water
Experts say it is already time for measures to save up water and use it reasonably. Professor Mircea Dutu, an expert in ecology, explains: "Romania's water resources, limited anyway, will diminish drastically. If things go bad, that is if the heating goes on, Romania should expect terrible consequences, at least in terms of water and food supplies. But unlike in other areas of the planet to become impossible to inhabit, Romanians won't have to leave these lands. Romania won't become impossible to inhabit. But unless adaptation measures are taken as soon as possible, unless this evolution ceases, the future will be gloomy. Adaptation measures must be taken on time: saving up water and using it reasonably, modernization of the irrigation system and adaptation of cultures. They will need many resources, but this is the only way to survive".

Marian Ghiteanu
Ziua Luni 30 Iulie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english