Climate change impacts
Climate change is one of the most pressing environmental issues today. Human influence on the climate system is clear, and recent anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases are the highest in history. Recent climate changes have had widespread impacts on human and natural systems. Continued emission of greenhouse gases will cause further warming and long-lasting changes in all components of the climate system, increasing the likelihood of severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems. Limiting climate change would require substantial and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions which, together with adaptation, can limit climate change risks (IPCC Climate Change Synthesis report, 2014).
Key observed and projected impacts from climate change for the main regions in Europe. Source: EEA
Current impacts of climate change in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) are also evident and are expected to emerge also in the future.
CASCADE project developed an overview on the risk drivers and impacts of climate change in the Baltic Sea Region. CASCADE report an “Overview of climate risk
drivers, hazards and consequences” can be found here.
Continental region
Increase in heat extremes
Decrease in summer precipitation
Increasing risk of river floods
Increasing risk of forest fires
Decrease in economic value of forests
Increase in energy demand for cooling
Atlantic region
Increase in heavy precipitation events
Increase in river flow
Increasing risk of river and coastal flooding
Increasing damage risk from winter storms
Decrease in energy demand for heating
Increase in multiple climatic hazards
Arctic region
Temperature rise much larger than global average
Decrease in Arctic sea ice coverage
Decrease in Greenland ice sheet
Decrease in permafrost areas
Increasing risk of biodiversity loss
Some new opportunities for the exploitation of natural resources and for sea transportation
Risks to the livelihoods of indigenous peoples
Boreal region
Increase in heavy precipitation events
Decrease in snow, lake and river ice cover
Increase in precipitation and river flows
Increasing potential for forest growth and increasing risk of forest pests
Increasing damage risk from winter storms
Increase in crop yields
Decrease in energy demand for heating
Increase in hydropower potential
Increase in summer tourism
Mountain regions
Temperature rise larger than European average
Decrease in glacier extent and volume
Upward shift of plant and animal species
High risk of species extinctions
Increasing risk of forest pests
Increasing risk from rock falls and landslides
Changes in hydropower potential
Decrease in ski tourism
Mediterranean region
Large increase in heat extremes
Decrease in precipitation and river flow
Increasing risk of droughts
Increasing risk of biodiversity loss
Increasing risk of forest fires
Increased competition between different water users
Increasing water demand for agriculture
Decrease in crop yields
Increasing risks for livestock production
Increase in mortality from heat waves
Expansion of habitats for southern disease vectors
Decreasing potential for energy production
Increase in energy demand for cooling
Decrease in summer tourism and potential increase in other seasons
Increase in multiple climatic hazards
Most economic sectors negatively affected
High vulnerability to spillover effects of climate change from outside Europe
Coastal zones and regional seas
Sea level rise
Increase in sea surface temperatures
Increase in ocean acidity
Northward migration of marine species
Risks and some opportunities for fisheries
Changes in phytoplankton communities
Increasing number of marine dead zones
Increasing risk of water-borne diseases