Consequences for Europe
In the autumn of 1991, tourists in the Southwest Alps discovered the body of a man in a glacier. Man is thought to have been caught in a storm about 5,000 years ago and was quickly covered by snow and ice, so the body has been saved for millennia. Its appearance speaks unequivocally: the European continent is warming and the glaciers are receding.
According to the Green Paper on Environmental Change in Europe, the average temperature of the continent has risen by almost 1°C in the last century, exceeding the average global temperature rise. As a result:
- Heat waves, forest fires and droughts are more common in Southern and Central Europe.
- The Mediterranean region is becoming drier, making it even more vulnerable to drought and forest fires.
- Urban areas, where almost 80% of Europe population lives now, are exposed to heat, floods or sea level rise. Frequently, these places are not prepared well to adapt to climate change.
- Northern Europe is becoming significantly wetter and winter floods may become common.
Heavy rains and other extreme weather events are becoming more common. This can cause flooding and deterioration of water quality. Annual rainfall since 1960 has shown a growing upward trend in Northeastern and Northwestern Europe and a decline in some parts of Southern Europe. No significant changes in annual precipitation were observed in the middle latitudes. Average summer rainfall has decreased significantly by up to 20 mm per decade in most of Southern Europe, while significant increases of up to 18 mm per decade have been recorded in parts of Northern Europe. The forecasts are related to the expectations that the annual precipitation will increase in Northern Europe and decrease in the southern part of the continent, with the forecast decrease there being the strongest in the summer.
The last few decades have seen a steady decline in glaciers and snow cover in European mountains. The rapid rise in the temperature of the mountainous areas (especially in the Alps) is leading to accelerated melting of snow and ice, which could affect river floods and cause floods.
Climate change is leading to increased costs for society and the economy. Particularly affected are sectors that are highly dependent on certain temperatures and precipitation levels, such as agriculture, forestry, energy and tourism. For example:
- Coastal areas suffer from rising sea levels, combined with an increased risk of storms.
- Densely populated alluvial valleys are affected due to the increased risk of storms, heavy rainfall and flash floods, leading to crop failures and major damage to built-up areas and infrastructure.
There is convincing evidence that early flowering of trees is influenced by climate change. By 2080, more than half of Europe's plant species may be vulnerable or endangered.
