NEGOTIATIONS
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KEY STEPS
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EUROPE
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Here are highlights of the projected impacts of climate change on the Europe region based on the Fourth
Assessment Report of the IPCC (see first box on top right of screen).
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Everything. Nearly all European regions are expected to be
negatively affected by some future impacts of climate change, and these will pose challenges to
many economic sectors. Europe can expect retreating glaciers, longer growing seasons, shift of
species ranges, and health impacts due to a heatwave of unprecedented magnitude and frequency as
the climate changes.
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Natural resources. Climate change is expected to magnify
regional differences in Europe’s natural resources and assets. Negative impacts will include
increased risk of inland flash floods, and more frequent coastal flooding and increased erosion
(due to storminess and sea-level rise).
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Ecology. The great majority of organisms and ecosystems
will have difficulty adapting to climate change. Mountainous areas will face glacier retreat,
reduced snow cover and winter tourism, and extensive species losses (in some areas up to 60% under
high emission scenarios by 2080).
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Southern Europe. Climate change is projected to worsen
conditions (high temperatures and drought) in a region already vulnerable to climate variability,
and to reduce water availability, hydropower potential, summer tourism and, in general, crop
productivity. It is also projected to increase health risks due to heat-waves, and the frequency of
wildfires.
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Central and Eastern Europe. Summer rain is projected to
decrease, causing higher water stress. Health risks due to heatwaves are expected to increase.
Forest productivity is expected to drop and the frequency of peatland fires to rise.
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Northern Europe. Climate change is initially projected to
bring mixed effects. Benefits include less demand for heating, higher crop yields and increased
forest growth. However, as climate change continues, its negative impacts (including more frequent
winter floods, endangered ecosystems and increasing ground instability) are likely to outweigh its
benefits.
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Europe feels the heat
Photo: World Health Organisation
In 2003, Europe experienced its hottest summer since at least 1540, with the mercury hovering
high above average summer temperatures for days on end. More than 40,000 Europeans died from
heat-related causes that summer, 14,802 in France alone. July 2006 also broke temperature
records in several European countries. Climate scientists forecast that extreme heat events
such as these will likely be on the rise in intensity and frequency this century due to climate
change.
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Individual countries in Europe
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For more detailed analysis of the climate change related vulnerabilities of each country in the Europe
region, click on the following. These links will take you to the country pages of the Adaptation
Learning Mechanism. The information is sourced from country assessments and other external
sources.
Eastern Europe
Northern Europe
Southern Europe
Western Europe
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Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
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The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the leading international body for the assessment
of climate change. It was established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World
Meteorological Organization (WMO) to provide the world with a clear scientific view on the current state of
knowledge in climate change and its potential environmental and socio-economic impacts. The UN General
Assembly endorsed the action by WMO and UNEP in jointly establishing the IPCC.
The IPCC is a scientific body. It reviews and assesses the most recent scientific, technical and
socio-economic information produced worldwide relevant to the understanding of climate change. It does
not conduct any research nor does it monitor climate related data or parameters.
Thousands of scientists from all over the world contribute to the work of the IPCC on a voluntary basis.
Review is an essential part of the IPCC process, to ensure an objective and complete assessment of
current information. IPCC aims to reflect a range of views and expertise.
The IPCC is an intergovernmental body. Currently 194 countries are members of the IPCC. Governments
participate in the review process and the plenary Sessions, where main decisions about the IPCC work
programme are taken and reports are accepted, adopted and approved.
The projected impacts and vulnerabilities for each broad region found in this section are distilled from
IPCC's Fourth Assessment Report, its latest Assessment Report,
released in 2007.
For the EUROPE section, information and citations can be found here.
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