ABSTRACT
Throughout history, people have tried to cope with the variability of their climate. First this was done simply by living in areas in which this variability caused no or few problems (e.g. sufficiently far away from floodplains, or close to springs, lakes or oases with a reliable supply of water). Moreover, people developed sustenance and economic activities that matched their natural conditions – for example, growing crops that were suited to the specific climate in which they were living.
