Week 46 What about the dykes?
Week 46 Still Wet
Just snippets this week - some things that caught my attention in the all too little time I had to do some reading...
Since 2020, fewer and fewer Dutch people have complied with the exercise guidelines. This guideline states that people should exercise moderately to intensively at least 2.5 hours per week to stay healthy. Last year, only 44.3 percent exercised sufficiently.
Young people, young adults and highly educated people in particular exercise less. The RIVM compared figures from before the corona period with figures from afterwards. These groups have cycled less to work, school and in their free time. Young adults aged eighteen to thirty also walk less. The decrease was greatest there.
Lots of rain... (from waterpeilen.nl (water levels))
Low pressure areas have been determining the weather in our area for weeks and rain zones continue to pass over them. The air flow is mainly south-westerly and therefore most rain falls in the coastal areas. Over the past 10 days, more than 160 mm of rain has fallen in North Holland in some places and there are also very wet places along the French and Belgian coast with locally more than 200 mm of precipitation in the past 10 days. Such quantities often mean that there is a lot of nuisance.
...what about the dykes?
Low pressure areas have been determining the weather in our area for weeks and rain zones continue to pass over them. The air flow is mainly south-westerly and therefore most rain falls in the coastal areas. Over the past 10 days, more than 160 mm of rain has fallen in North Holland in some places and there are also very wet places along the French and Belgian coast with locally more than 200 mm of precipitation in the past 10 days. Such quantities often mean that there is a lot of nuisance.
...what about the dykes?
(This was on the TV News during the week)
The Netherlands will “probably” have the technical means to cope with a rise in sea level of up to three metres but it will take a thorough and costly overhaul of the country’s dykes, according to a report commissioned by the infrastructure ministry and the Delta commission in charge of coastal defense.
In order to tackle a three-metre rise, some dykes will need to be widened by around 90 metres, which will not always be possible in the existing urban situation, Jos van Alphen, strategic advisor to the Delta commission, told broadcaster NOS.
A rise of one metre will make it necessary to strengthen 2,100 kilometres of coastal defence infrastructure, the report said. “We will need much more sand,” Van Alphen said, “and that means a tighter grip on the use of space in the North Sea.” (where they get the sand)
The election...
The Netherlands will “probably” have the technical means to cope with a rise in sea level of up to three metres but it will take a thorough and costly overhaul of the country’s dykes, according to a report commissioned by the infrastructure ministry and the Delta commission in charge of coastal defense.
In order to tackle a three-metre rise, some dykes will need to be widened by around 90 metres, which will not always be possible in the existing urban situation, Jos van Alphen, strategic advisor to the Delta commission, told broadcaster NOS.
A rise of one metre will make it necessary to strengthen 2,100 kilometres of coastal defence infrastructure, the report said. “We will need much more sand,” Van Alphen said, “and that means a tighter grip on the use of space in the North Sea.” (where they get the sand)
The election...
I'm still undecided: There is an argument that one should vote for the "party" (based on it's manifesto) - but many people are more interested in just who is going to "lead" the country.
Main points from the manifesto of the CDA (Christian Democratic Appeal) - on the Left
I include it here just to give an indication of topical issues.
Raise the minimum wage, without specifying a figure.
Increase child benefits and replace the childcare allowance system with an income-dependent contribution.
Phase out top-up benefits on housing, childcare and health by raising incomes.
Lower income tax – but with an extra tax band for the highest earners – while raising taxes on wealth and corporate profits.
Increase inheritance tax to counter wealth inequality.
Subsidised “basic jobs” for those at a disadvantage in the jobs market or to facilitate a career switch.
Halve nitrogen compound emissions by 2035, but replace the ‘unworkable’ critical deposition value with a “legally tenable” yardstick and require an ‘equitable contribution’ from all relevant sectors, not just farmers.
Introduce a two-tier asylum system to distinguish ‘permanent refugees’ fleeing persecution for those seeking shelter.
Authorise asylum minister to designate refugee accommodation sites over the heads of local authorities (the “spreading law”).
Permanent jobs to become the norm rather than freelancing and flexible contracts.
Zero tolerance approach to hard drugs, fines for possessing small amounts and fewer “coffeeshops”.
Aim to build almost one million new homes by 2030, two-thirds of which should be affordable housing. Also more multiple-generation houses and homes with provision for elderly care.
Increase child benefits and replace the childcare allowance system with an income-dependent contribution.
Phase out top-up benefits on housing, childcare and health by raising incomes.
Lower income tax – but with an extra tax band for the highest earners – while raising taxes on wealth and corporate profits.
Increase inheritance tax to counter wealth inequality.
Subsidised “basic jobs” for those at a disadvantage in the jobs market or to facilitate a career switch.
Halve nitrogen compound emissions by 2035, but replace the ‘unworkable’ critical deposition value with a “legally tenable” yardstick and require an ‘equitable contribution’ from all relevant sectors, not just farmers.
Introduce a two-tier asylum system to distinguish ‘permanent refugees’ fleeing persecution for those seeking shelter.
Authorise asylum minister to designate refugee accommodation sites over the heads of local authorities (the “spreading law”).
Permanent jobs to become the norm rather than freelancing and flexible contracts.
Zero tolerance approach to hard drugs, fines for possessing small amounts and fewer “coffeeshops”.
Aim to build almost one million new homes by 2030, two-thirds of which should be affordable housing. Also more multiple-generation houses and homes with provision for elderly care.
...and on the right
(Geert Wilders - extreme right anti-muslim, been in opposition for 18 years - has "offered" to put his anti-muslim extremism on the sidelines, if only someone will choose him as a coalition partner - although his anti-Islam stance "will remain in his party's DNA" - he says)
The Nitrogen Crisis
Andrew B. sent me a pretty good link - mostly about the nitrogen crisis here, and its influence on the upcoming election. It's a long read - I don't agree with all of it, but it does cover it pretty well.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/nov/16/nitrogen-wars-the-dutch-farmers-revolt-that-turned-a-nation-upside-down?CMP=share_btn_link
A couple of highlights...that caught my attention
The Nitrogen Crisis
Andrew B. sent me a pretty good link - mostly about the nitrogen crisis here, and its influence on the upcoming election. It's a long read - I don't agree with all of it, but it does cover it pretty well.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/nov/16/nitrogen-wars-the-dutch-farmers-revolt-that-turned-a-nation-upside-down?CMP=share_btn_link
A couple of highlights...that caught my attention
“Farmer issues lend themselves well to far-right ideology – nostalgia for the past, also their connection to the old Nazi theme of ‘blood & soil’, creating room for the pure white people, all that creepy fascist stuff,” says Léonie de Jonge, a political scientist at University of Groningen.
There may be no proposal that will satisfy dairy farmers. Any solution for reducing emissions will require either fewer farms, or existing farms to function differently, or both. No solution can guarantee that incomes will be unaffected. As environmental protections become more urgent, it is likely that some people will simply have to change the way they work, just as others might be forced to change how they travel or cook.
I just shake my head and wonder why "doing nothing" or "putting it off" is even an option...
The caretaker cabinet has agreed to allocate over €2 billion next year in aid for Ukraine, most of which will go on military support for the war against Russia.
The government will have spent €4.2 billion in military aid by the end of this year. The Netherlands agreed at this summer’s Nato summit to continue its financial backing for Ukraine.
“This is about our security,” defence minister Kajsa Ollongren said. “If Ukraine does not win this war then we have a much bigger problem which is going to cost us a lot more. So I think this is sensible expenditure.”
The war could last for a long time and it is crucial that Ukrainians know what support they can expect, she said. “They cannot do without the certainty of support from allied countries like the Netherlands.”
The Demolition Works
This is the underside of our bathroom wall - the excavation revealed that it doesn't have any foundations - so the builder has prepared a concrete base - and it will be bricked up during the week...I have no idea when it was done - but this also used to be part of the cows' domain before it was converted. Our own alterations didn't go that deep.
...so, just in case...
I even found an old pair of fire brigade boots!
To go into this...
...to check out the connections to this - gas and elelctric. The copper gas pipe on the right goes outside the house and back in again at the central heater. The copper has to be replaced as it reacts badly to the foam concrete - and it will be laid more directly, rather than first going outside.
The yellow pipe on the left is the incoming - for our house and Janny's Mum's apartment. - it's new enough that it can stay as is.
We have kids this weekend - but the weather is pretty bad. They could do a bit of football and skeltering outside until lunchtime - then inside activities. Including helping me do the cooking. I didn't quite get to making crumpets...
Boatie friends Pete and Winnie gave us a "thankyou" cooking book and some crumpet rings. Peter is originally from England and Winnie is from here. They have a beautiful liveaboard boat called "Kabouter" (dwarf) - so named because they felt so small compared to some of the ships they encountered in the beginning when going through a lock. With Brexit, they now have to have an official address - ours - and be registered in our local government area.They still have a house and live in England, so it is only for the time they are on board, I think.
The book has many other delights...now, if I can only find the time...
We also decided that we have to move our office after all. There will be a 3 metre crossing to be made just to get to the stairs - so I spent Saturday afternoon transferring everything - luckily, we have the room. The cables and switching all went fairly seamlessly - for a change! (I might have to tidy the cables)
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