Farmers in a rural town in eastern Austria are looking to cultivate Mediterranean-style staples as the impact of climate change sees winter weather in their region warm up.
Young entrepreneurs William Markl and Jonathan Beck are among those seeking to turn their local town of Gols in the eastern state of Burgenland into their own version of Tuscany, an Italian region producing some of the finest olive oils in the world for centuries.
This once far-fetched idea is now becoming increasingly feasible given the dramatic climate shifts which are taking place. Since the turn of the 20th century, temperatures in Austria have risen by three degrees Celsius, more than twice the global average.
Previously, olive trees would not survive Austrian winters of the past, but they are now thriving thanks to the milder climate, with some olive groves expanding across several hectares in the area.
"The last 10-15 years, climate change in this region has been so strong that nowadays our winters are so mild that olives just grow here," said Markl.
Over the last three years, Markl and Beck have planted some 400 olive trees and are expecting to steadily increase production.
"If we reach a point where we maybe harvest around 2,000 kilos we will be thinking about producing oil," said Beck.
Beyond olives, some Austrian farmers have also started cultivating rice while winegrowers are testing new heat-resistant grapes. This comes as traditional crops are challenged by increasing periods of heat and drought in the summer months.
Markl, who is half-Chinese, has also started to grow the famously spicy Sichuan peppers and Chinese dates alongside his olive trees, in response to consumers seeking out more exotic foods.
He expects the entire local region to undergo a major transformation in the coming years.
"It's fun to like drive around the region and then you see another new olive grove from somebody else. Like maybe in a few years, 10-20 years, we're going to look like Italy here," Markl said.
While the duo are looking to tap into the potential now afforded by the changing local environment, several farmers worry that Austrian summers are now becoming too dry, even for olive trees.
New irrigation canals which are set to withdraw water from the mighty Danube River could help ease the situation, as the agriculture community looks to stay on top of the ever-evolving climate situation.
Austrian farmers take advantage of warmer winters to grow olives
Residents living in Canada's biggest city of Toronto have expressed optimism that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's official visit to China can unlock new economic opportunities, particularly in key fields such as artificial intelligence and infrastructure.
Carney is set to arrive in China on Wednesday to begin a four-day visit at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, marking the first trip by a Canadian prime minister to China since 2017.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson confirmed Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet with Carney during his stay to provide new strategic guidance for further improving and developing China-Canada relations.
Giving their assessment of the significance of the visit and the outcomes they hope to see achieved, local people in Toronto pointed to the importance of deepening cooperation and view the high-tech sector as one of the most pivotal areas where ties can be enhanced.
"I think, of course, China is probably the leader in AI and new technologies. So, I think Canada can really benefit from Chinese expertise on some of the chip manufacturing or just the use of AI in the medical field, in every other finance field and everything. So, I think this can be very important for Canada to learn from China," said Raman, the provincial liaison manager at the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.
"I think it is a good idea to strengthen relations with other countries and other trade partners that have been probably more consistent. And especially with things going on in electronics right now and chip manufacturing, I do think that it makes sense at this point in time to be reaching out to China," said Jen, a local nurse.
Some see Carney's visit as an opportunity to broaden the economic agenda in various other key areas.
"I'm actually pretty looking forward to it because they could talk a lot about trade. That could be a good opportunity for Canada and China to explore some other export opportunities on energy, and also, maybe pipeline building, infrastructure building, and also, real estate investment and agriculture," said Xiong Lulu, an equity research analyst.
Looking ahead, many residents emphasize that much depends on whether Carney's visit can translate into concrete agreements.
"It would be nice. I hope there's some kind of good relationship between China and Canada. That would be like a great opportunity that we would miss if we didn't create that relationship with them. So, hopefully, in hindsight, [in] 2026 it does happen," said John, a software developer.
"I think if they can settle some trade deals, that will be great. So, I think it will be great for the Canadian economy," said Xiong.
President Xi and Carney last met on the sidelines of the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in the Republic of Korea (ROK) in October, with both sides agreeing to resume exchanges and cooperation in various fields and jointly advance the development of the China-Canada strategic partnership.
Toronto residents optimistic about Canada-China cooperation prospects
