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Buckled lines and landslides: how climate change is hitting Europe’s rail industry

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By illuminem briefings

· 1 min read


illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Euronews or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Europe's rail network is increasingly strained by climate change effects
Extreme weather conditions, such as storms, floods, and fires, are challenging rail operations across the continent

🔭 The context: Elevated temperatures are causing infrastructural issues like track distortions and forest fires, notably in the Alpine region 
In some countries, such as the UK, this has even led to numerous train cancellations and countless delays

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: These developments highlight the broader implications of climate change on critical infrastructure and emphasize the need for more resilient transportation systems

⏭️ What's next: Efforts to fortify rail infrastructure are underway. For example, Austria is upgrading its power lines and tracks, while the UK is enhancing drainage systems and implementing technology for temperature monitoring

💬 One quote: "We have never had as many train cancellations due to storms in recent years as we did last August," (Bernhard Rieder, spokesperson for ÖBB)

📈 One stat: Austria's rail network experienced 1,900 weather-related stoppages in 2023 alone


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