Policy News - October 13, 2004

Gloomy climate prospects for Europe

With average temperatures rising faster in Europe than elsewhere, adaptation strategies will be crucial in limiting climate change impacts, according to a report by the European Environment Agency (EEA). EEA predicts more frequent and more costly storms, floods, droughts, and other extreme weather. Over the past 20 years alone, economic losses resulting from weather- and climate-related events have increased from an annual average of less than $5 billion to roughly $11 billion. While agricultural yields, particularly in northern Europe, are projected to profit from the changing temperature and precipitation patterns, EEA notes that crop harvests in many southern countries were down by as much as 30% following the heat wave in 2003. Even with substantial reductions of greenhouse gas emissions over the coming decades, EEA warns that the observed rise in global temperature is expected to increase this century, and Europeans will have to learn how to cope. Impacts of Europe’s Changing Climate: An Indicator-Based Assessment is at http://reports.eea.eu.int/climate_report_2_2004/en.