Can Germans Save Their Beloved Rhine?

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https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/11/world/europe/germany-climate-change-rhine-river.html

By Christopher F. Schuetze, The New York Times. 

Excerpt: ...Europe’s most ambitious and expensive experiments in climate adaptation, a 180 million euro effort to save the Rhine’s historical role as a vital transport link for Germany’s economy from the adverse effects of climate change. ...For Germany, ...higher temperatures and longer droughts have taken an increasing toll on its economy by making already difficult natural bottlenecks on the Rhine practically unnavigable more often and for longer stretches of time. ...The challenge of the riverbed “optimization” project, as it is known, is to deepen the river at those critical points — without causing unwanted side effects. ...Floods and droughts have long been part of the Rhine’s history, demonstrated by the “hunger stones” — engravings from the Middle Ages far below the water’s surface that marked historically low levels. They have emerged along with other artifacts recently, serving as something of an alarm. ...These recent low-water events have had a distressing impact on Germany’s economy. Up to 80 percent of Germany’s ship-bound cargo — everything from coal, wheat and cars to containers from China — are transported on the Rhine on their way to not only the south of the country, but also to parts of France, Switzerland and, over the Main-Danube Canal, Eastern Europe.... 

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