Hot, isn't it?
The new normal
Yes, the heat records are being broken once again. 30+ is the new normal. The average Dutch person isn't used to that yet (and doesn't want to be either: "I've well and truly had enough!"). It's the talk of the town. The media are full of it: pages of photos with playful captions. And July and August are still to come. A mild panic is taking hold of us, because of all the summers still to come, this one is the least hot, so it's predicted. How are we going to survive that?
Stay indoors? If only it were that simple
Staying indoors is the first logical piece of advice, because outside is unbearable. Yet that advice is hard to follow, especially for a large part of the working or studying population. What's more, indoors often isn't an option at all: a great many homes simply aren't heat-resistant. Despite air conditioners and fans, the house has turned into an oven.
There's been a fair amount of attention for heating homes energy-efficiently against the winter cold, but when it comes to keeping the heat out, there's still a great deal to be done.
Making do in the short term
In the short term, we make do with sun shading, awnings, outdoor curtains and night-time ventilation, provided it cools down at night, of course. Emergency measures are being put in place: cooling locations ("the supermarket is a lovely place to linger, well I never!"), water taps, the handing out of ice lollies, and free, cool cinema for the over-65s. The Heat Plan comes into effect.
From weather to climate
We're talking about the weather now. Weather forecasts are consulted several times a day and we adapt as best we can. But what it's really about isn't the weather, it's the climate. Nobody talks about that. The weather is sexy, the climate isn't.
Climate policy: there's no escaping it
Creating climate-resilient building designs, greening urban areas, getting serious about reducing emissions of CO2, nitrogen and PFAS. Putting a serious and immediate end to the use of toxins in fertiliser and food, and so on. That costs a lot of money, so the politicians we hold to account for developing and carrying out climate policy start to look uneasy. Are we beginning to feel a sense of urgency yet?
And what about us?
Personally, we'll look into whether we can better equip our homes for the next heat peaks. Keeping the sun's warmth out will be our top priority. We'll tackle that after the summer holidays. Because that one is going to be good, you can count on it. At least: we're hoping for a moderate summer once the heat dome currently holding Europe in its grip has lifted. In September we'll get to work without delay.
Enjoy your travels, or your time at home.
Postscript
Hey! Just before going to press: the KNMI has issued a code red for almost the entire country. Unprecedented.