Matthew Wielicki is a professor of Earth sciences. He was an assistant professor in the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Alabama and a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences and the Institute for Planets and Exoplanets at the University of California, Los Angeles. His research interests include the change climate and the implications of warming on severe weather and the overall human condition, the energy transition and other related aspects.
Yesterday, the professor published an article on the Substack platform, the beginning of which is peremptory: “One thing is clear: the recent floods in Valencia, Spain, they have nothing to do with climate change and everything to do with ignored infrastructure needs and the poor urban planning. It is almost laughable to see how quickly politicians and the mainstream media (MSM) rushed to label this event a “climate-fueled catastrophe”.
In fact, these floods were not only foreseeable, but they have already occurred several times in the past and have been predicted several times. It seems obvious to me to underline that what the professor wrote can be applied equally to what has happened and continues to happen in many Italian regions.
What happened in Valencia
A little history
Following the devastating flood of 1957city planners made the bold decision to divert the river Turiawhich is located south of the city; a brilliant structural solution, destined to save the city from future tragedies (speaking of the measures to be adopted to mitigate natural disasters and opposed by the greens that can’t be greener!). But what did they do next? They allowed uncontrolled development right around the newly created spillway, an area evidently at high risk of flooding. In fact, the worst floods in the past had occurred precisely in these expansion areas. Decades of ignoring the obvious have resulted in predictable failure, and no amount of “climate crisis” propaganda can change or mask this reality.
Blaming climate change instead of seeking responsibility
There is a glaring irony: City planners and politicians, who ignored flood risks in their rush to expand city development, are now blaming climate change for a crisis of their own making. Instead of taking responsibility for failing to protect the residents they were charged with serving, they found an easy scapegoat.
For decades, Valencia’s leaders have ignored historical context. Paleoclimatic data and records show that the region has experienced severe flooding for over a millennium, with flood records dating back to the 11th century.
The infamous 1957 flood remains one of the worst and took place during a time when CO2 levels were much lower. Yet despite abundant evidence that flooding is a historical constant, the MSM and politicians are eager to fuel the narrative of an “unprecedented” climate disaster.
The 1957 flood is a badly used solution
It’s easier, after all, to talk about carbon emissions than to admit to allowing builders to transform one alluvial plain in a residential area it is pure madness.
The purpose of the media and political propaganda: to sell fear
Media coverage of the Valencia floods reveals a clear agenda. The report of Daily Mailand the numerous articles that can be read in many local newspapers, define the flood as “catastrophic” due to climate change, but completely avoid the historical context. There is no mention of the 1957 floods, no acknowledgment that Valencia’s infrastructure was never planned to handle the urban development that followed the river diversion. By focusing exclusively on climate change, the media misleads readers into thinking that these floods have never happened in the past, that they are the product of our “modern” environment, rather than the result of utopian, short-sighted city management.
For those wishing to learn more, I refer you to the original article, complete with many graphs, figures, data and links to original articles.
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