Climate change poses increasingly severe risks for ecosystems, human health and the economy in Europe, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) report on Wednesday.
According to the Climate Change, Impacts and Vulnerability in Europe 2016 report, all European regions are vulnerable to climate change, but some regions will experience more negative impacts than others.
Ecosystems and protected areas across Europe are under pressure from climate change and other stressors, such as land use change. The report also highlights that the impact of climate change can threaten biodiversity both on land and sea.
'The main health effects of climate change are linked to extreme weather events, changes in the distribution of climate-sensitive diseases, and changes in environmental and social conditions,' the report stated.
The report underlined that river and coastal flooding, as a result of climate change, has affected millions of people in Europe in the last decade.
Furthermore, the report relayed that the economic costs of climate change can be very high.
'Climate-related extreme events in EEA member countries account for more than €400 billion of economic losses since 1980. Available estimates of the future costs of climate change in Europe consider only some sectors and show considerable uncertainty,' the report warned.
Hans Bruyninckx, EEA executive director said in the statement that 'the scale of future climate change and its impacts will depend on the effectiveness of implementing our global agreements to cut greenhouse gas emissions, but also ensuring that we have the right adaptation strategies and policies in place to reduce the risks from current and projected climate extremes.'
By Gulsen Cagatay
Anadolu Agency
gulsen.cagatay@aa.com.tr