Sunday Summary January 11th - A World Slightly Out of Season

This week’s weather has felt rather unpredictable, with two-thirds of Europe engulfed in snow, Australians sizzling in the heat, Southern Asia swimming in floods, and tornadoes hitting Southern Africa. It seems the planet is incapable of deciding on a single season. 

As I write this, inside the warm atmosphere of the Fixed Gear Café, Maastricht has evolved into a winter wonderland due to a powerful Arctic outbreak. While I’m no expert, it’s clear to see that this has had some rare effects on our January weather, leading to extreme and rather uncanny temperatures. Yet, despite freezing temperatures and clear ice warnings, cyclists refuse to admit defeat. A little snow never hurt anyone, right? 

Figure 1 - Winter in the Netherlands

Well, I guess the same cannot be said for Schiphol airport agents, who have cancelled over 3,200 flights. With thousands camping outside the gates and arguing for compensation, I can’t imagine the staff are having the greatest time. At least some workers have managed to make time for the usual snowy activities – building snowmen and having snowball fights. But just when things couldn’t get worse, a severe power outage left the building in even more chaos. Not to mention that the transportation services have been mostly suspended, with the Netherlands reaching 10cm of snow. Let’s just say that while it’s a perfect opportunity for glühwein and cozy evenings at home, it is far from a good idea to go flying anywhere this week. 

This charming arctic air has even made its way down to North Africa, producing snow in parts of Spain and Algeria. However, while we are shivering in our boots dressed head to toe, the opposite can be said for Australia, which is facing one of its worst heatwaves in the last six years. These conditions have left cities with temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, power-grid overloads, and catastrophic bushfires. The consequences have been devastating, leaving many injured or deceased and placing an immense burden on firefighters. 

This drastic contrast in temperatures across hemispheres makes one feel a little hazy – and that’s not all the weather extremes seen this week. Over 25 disasters have been reported across South Asia, with intense floods, landslides, storms, and wind-related incidents causing significant and fatal outcomes for local communities. With infrastructure damaged, facilities destroyed, and lives at risk, these climate extremes are having a profound effect on the world’s populations. And these are only a few examples; similar events are unfolding in countless corners around the world. 

Where Does This Leave Us?

And so, despite the odd chuckle about the weather – a necessary coping mechanism to keep us all sane – it's important to remember that not everybody has the resources to withstand such extremes. While some of us have the luxury to stay home or dress warmly, many communities are facing losses and circumstances far beyond inconvenience. And more will be affected in the years to come.

We all know the story; we’ve all heard the warnings, read the headlines, and watched patterns consistently repeat themselves. Reflection on this much larger picture alone is no longer enough. Climate change is not stopping or slowing down, but here are some things you can do to help:

1. Save energy at home

2. Walk, bike, or take public transport

3. Buy less

4. Reduce, reuse, repair, and recycle

5. Clean up your environment

6. Support sustainable brands and services

7. Throw away less food

8. Eat fewer animal products

9. Speak up

   
   

You do not need to think massively or transform your life overnight. Simply consuming less and reusing more already makes a difference. However, if nothing happens and nobody acts, the time will come when those currently unaffected will also feel the impact. 

There is still time to change the course. Still time to contribute to a better future. Because without action, there will be no future to protect.