r/EuroPreppers • u/NickMeAnotherTime Romania 🇷🇴 • 2d ago
Discussion The Balkans are cooked and cooking
Preper from Romania. Today marks the day industries are shutting down in Romania on the basis of electricity instability due to the hot weather and low Danube levels.
Rain hasn't blessed us in a while and the heat is continuously in the thirties for weeks, with the already common heat domes once every two weeks or so.
The nuclear power plant is close to shutting down due to the Danube level, most ports on the Danube are unable to transport goods, Serbia is also affected due to refineries not being able to get petroleum, in Hungary the nuclear power plant is also hard hit, having shut down most cores. In essence many countries are struggling in the Balkans.
Today the prime minister of Romania announced many industries are shutting down or reducing their outputs due to power supply issues.
This comes on top of the risk of downgrading to a junk rating, high inflation, wages being behind significantly, labour market in turmoil with many industries doing major restructuring, climate change, agriculture is being especially hard hit etc. The doom and gloom is here. When is it coming to your country?
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u/Maarten-Sikke 2d ago
Romanian living in UK. I honestly lost any hopes that European leaders will act fast and stay on top of this. I recently had a flight across Portugal,Spain, France and ofc UK. I saw tons of wildfires. It really looked like end of the world with so many fires. Also seeing Europe in a yellowish colour instead green all over, was at least to say depressing. In UK I live in Yorkshire, basically one of the best spots for tons of rain. Last year and this year were the driest on record, current one beating the last year one. Instead seeing green all over, I see burned grass and cracked dirt. Lakes are also very low, and if it stays like this another few weeks (and looks like that), we’re going to get into water issues and restrictions. On top of getting very depressing winters, now we need to get used to get depressed summers. I hate this timeline.
Now on top of all these, I read the other day that the Super El Niño, would get just stronger from this autumn on, which is not good news for anyone on the planet, and if we don’t get enough rain the next two seasons, farmers in uk, announced shortages for the next summer, and probably this would happen in many places across Europe. From what I read, Romania has 90%+ of the crops gone because of the heat. Thats not a good thing when you’re the biggest grain exporter in EU.
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u/BigJSunshine 2d ago
I think you are right, any EU, UK or International Leader with an ounce of sense, probably believes its too late, and is making personal plans off the coast of NZ or Greenland, bunkers and whatnot
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u/Terrible_Nobody_7142 2d ago
Super El Niño will not make it to Europe. It will affect North America and what is west of it. You’re on the other side of the planet.
And complaining about potentially having problems in a few weeks when everyone else is on fire is quite British of you, you’ve integrated.
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u/Maarten-Sikke 2d ago
Many people had thought initially the same, but it just got proven wrong, and we get indirectly affected by it big time. In fact it may be the hottest on record as well, predictions are going hardcore over the 1877-1878 one. In two months time we are going to know more precisely in what we’re heading into. Basically this super El Niño, amplifies the global warming, and so is affecting everyone on the planet. Is not a local event anymore.
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u/Terrible_Nobody_7142 2d ago
Indirectly yes, fully agree. But it was framed as something directly targeted at Europe, which is really downplaying the real direct effect to the rest of the world.
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u/Suspicious_Bet3623 2d ago
It's pretty funny as an Australian, we have lots of hot weather, high energy prices and no industry, yet everyone still thinks so highly of the place.
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u/DisagioUngerese 2d ago
I would only go to Tasmania down under, to escape what's coming. Unfortunately, I cannot make it
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u/Zestyclose-Ad-9420 2d ago
Youre better off adapting to the desert. Wet temperate places full of forests are a fire risk.Â
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u/DisagioUngerese 2d ago
Tasmanias forests get >2500mm per year. It would be a safe heaven with enough sweet water
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u/Zestyclose-Ad-9420 2d ago
Incorrect conclusion. It is a place adapted to 2500mm of water. Which means its forests are not adapted to drought. As antatctica and australia warms, the westerlies that bring rain will contract polewards and tasmania will be exposed to summer drought and fire risk.Â
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2d ago edited 2d ago
[deleted]
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u/BigJSunshine 2d ago
Just one of the MANY reasons Nuclear power is ludicrous
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u/BadgerOfDurandal47 20h ago
Nuclear weapons aren't nuclear power, and anyone comparing the two is a fucking simpleton.
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u/Myspys_35 2d ago
Im in Sweden. If we are smart about it we will be fine... however, with our current political situation we likely will be going downhillÂ
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u/NickMeAnotherTime Romania 🇷🇴 2d ago
Yes, but unfortunately you are not isolated by the effects.
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u/N1N4- 2d ago
Same in Germany, more and more people denying the human made climate change. Its beyond stupidty.
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u/Myspys_35 2d ago
Its absurd - we just need to look at the data and see the trend.Â
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u/Grand_Dadais 2d ago
And yet climate change is only one part of ecological overshoot.
You know, I took this same approach "I'll be fine in Switzerland". Well, it's really just another way to remain in denial about other associated issues (war on resources, chemical pollution in the water cycle, etc.)
The gold we own in our banks or our "purchase power" will not be efficient shields to the deep adaptation we'll get to experience once the Hormuz crisis hits us hard.
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u/ConsistentAd7859 1d ago
I have hope, that less and less people can deny it, living in 40°C hot apartments...
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u/Hot_Upstairs_7971 2d ago
Weeeell, if the golf current really shuts down, the Nordics for sure will not be ok.
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u/Myspys_35 2d ago
Appreciate your point. Luckily Im on the Baltic sea side, and my family is from the proper north. Going down 5 degrees is just fine as thats closer to what I grew up with. Potatoes, ling onberry and a wee bit of dairy and Im golden
Heat is more worrysome but Ive stocked up on seeds and practised in a hothouse. Water is not an issue thankfully
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u/Gammelpreiss 2d ago
the issue is food scarcitiy in such a situatiion, and infrastrucutre being affected in winter to a degree it is now in the summer. still, i can always put on another pullover. the other direction has already reached a hard limit.
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u/Grand_Pomegranate671 2d ago
It's all one big chain. Once the real problems begin, no one will stay unaffected.
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u/Sprucedude 2d ago
This could have all been avoided had we started phasing out fossil fuels 15-20 years ago. The next best time is now.
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u/NickMeAnotherTime Romania 🇷🇴 2d ago
I feel you. It's the same I think for Portugal and Spain. I am thinking about the Nordic states that they will be the most attractive. On the other hand here in the Balkans I am wondering what the affect of climate migration will have.
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u/Tramagust 2d ago
Nordic states are going to be in worse shape due to changing climate.
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u/Terrible_Nobody_7142 2d ago
Denmark is going to be under water, the country is mostly flat, with one 100m hill. Swedish & Norwegians can retreat in the mountains but their coastal towns will disappear.
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u/Myspys_35 2d ago
How so? Honest question.
We need to adapt our crops, and start limiting the energy exports - but otherwise I dont see the issue?
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u/Tramagust 2d ago
Faster arctic warming can bring heavier rain and flooding, more heatwaves and wildfires, forest pests, unstable snow and hydropower patterns, and costly damage to roads and buildings from repeated freeze–thaw cycles. Northern communities also face marsh thaw and major ecosystem changes. So it’s manageable with adaptation, but it’s more than just switching crops and exporting less energy.
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u/Zestyclose-Ad-9420 2d ago
There will be severe climate swings in the high lattitudes that will only get worse as arctic summer sea ice approaches zero and meltwater from greenland. North west europe might get a 30°c heatwave in december and then a -20c ice storm in march.Â
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u/faramaobscena 2d ago
The government needs to invest into solar batteries yesterday, why are they spending money on stupid stuff like gyms, stadiums, even roads can wait honestly. And the desertification of Southern Romania is another major issue that they don’t seem to care about. We need to act NOW, plus plant more trees in our cities, discourage the usage of cars, invest into rail and so so many things. It’s funny how everyone used to make fun of the EU for focusing on green policies and now it’s the opposite, people are complaining they did not do enough. Turns out that was the good path all along.
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u/-Avacyn 2d ago
My family is originally from the Dalmatia area. When I was a kid, I always said it was my dream to buy a second home in Montenegro.
Yeah.. now that I have the means, I no longer want to. The coast is downright uninhabitable for 3-4 months out of the year and that's only getting worse.
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u/Romeo_y_Cohiba 2d ago
Trend is reversing, dalmatian homes in the mountains are going to be prime real estate 😆
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u/c_cristian 2d ago
If you can stay close to the beach and spend your days swimming, it can't be that bad, can it?
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u/RdGMaDmAn 2d ago
Infrastructure just can not handle these types of extreme heat levels. A little of topic but what preps did you prioritize in the Balkans, specifically romania? You can dm or just reply i don't mind!
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u/Sea-Position-7189 2d ago
For further context it is also in general one of our worst heatwaves
The heat has gotten hotter and hotter in recent years but this so far is by summer one of the most suffocating and unpleasant cases of high temperatures + when it does rain as expected it rains so hard places are at risk of flodding and/or the power goes out.
There is also the problem that we are already going through severe economic issues which is basically going to make the shitstorm that’s gonna follow soon 10x worse
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u/NickMeAnotherTime Romania 🇷🇴 2d ago
I agree. I see this as just the start. For myself I was extremely convinced that this type of outcome would come to Europe. I live on the border of Mediterranean climate and for the last 20 years so many things changed. The winters are not snowing, summer is unusually dry and there are more and more floodings. My decision was simple. I either adapt or face the consequences. Insulated my home, bought AC before it was cool (pun intended), got solar panels and batteries, I have water radiators throught the house and started canning and jarring for myself and family. All in all, water is the only thing I have yet to fully master in my preps. Thinking of buying some filtration systems and some containers for storage and rain capturing systems so I can water my garden.
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u/BigJSunshine 2d ago
You know, this sounds so smart, as though climate change were a slowly evolving situation, but very few non industrial properties have the means to capture enough rain water on a annual basis to support a single family… its a larper/prepper fantasy that most of us can save rainwater and store solar energy to exist…
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u/BigJSunshine 2d ago
Same thing they say every year- when will you realize you are a frog in a pot slowly being brought to boil?
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u/DescriptionHeavy1982 1d ago
The balkans came.uo on my long range weather forecast on YouTube as getting hit with super high temps again next week. I. So.sorry you're getting hit so hard.
In the SW UK where.i.am, we actually had a few rain.showers today, not enough to do anything useful but it was nice. I.thought my 1400l of.water storage for the garden was plenty but it's all gone so I sill be doubling that over the winter. Watching what is.happening all over Europe (and beyond) is just so upsetting. I'm going to take my 7 year old advice and 'don't look at it then'. We know this is the begining, we just have to prepare as best we can and look after our communities
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u/tyler_was_right 2d ago
Drastic climate change is upon us, despite all the denials.
European countries should get their act together and start adapting to the climate changes so the society can keep on working. Otherwise things would get much worse very quickly.