, Columnist
From the Rhine to the Tigris, Rivers Are Warnings
To observe climate change in action, don’t just look at fires, floods and heat waves. Also dip a toe into the streams.
When the Romans crossed the Rhine, it was a lot deeper.
Photographer: Boris Roessler/picture alliance via Getty Images
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You can’t step into the same river twice, the philosopher Heraclitus said in a different context. If he were alive in the era of anthropogenic climate change, he might add that you may no longer even have that river to step into. And even if you do, you might not want to, because its fluids could scorch the skin off your feet.
Just look at Germany this summer. Two of its most symbolic and iconic rivers — the Oder in the east and the Rhine in the west — are crying out in distress.