impacts of climate change in Europe

Impacts of climate change in Europe [1]:

•    magnification of regional differences in Europe’s natural resources and assets;
•    negative impacts like increased risk of inland flash floods and more frequent coastal flooding and increased erosion (due to storminess and sea level rise);
•    mountainous areas will face glacier retreat, reduced snow cover and winter tourism, and extensive species losses (in some areas up to 60% under high emissions scenarios by 2080);
•    in 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; and
•    increase in health risks due to heat waves and the frequency of wildfires. 

There is also high confidence that many semi-arid areas (e.g., Mediterranean Basin, western USA, southern Africa and north-eastern Brazil) will suffer a decrease in water resources due to climate change.

[1] Bernstein, L., et al., IPCC 4th Assessment Report: Summary for Policy Makers, United Nations International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)