Europe unprepared for the perils of climate change, particularly concerning wildfires, water shortages, flooding, and erosion, according to a report released on Tuesday by the European Climate Risk Assessment.
According to new EU research, if Europe does not move quickly and decisively to adapt to risks, climate change might have “catastrophic” effects on the continent.
The first of its type, the extensive 425-page European Climatic Risk Assessment (Eucra) lists 36 climatic hazards, such as fires, and water shortages, and their consequences on agricultural output. Low-lying coastal areas are also at risk from flooding, erosion, and saltwater intrusion.
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“Many of these risks have already reached critical levels and could become catastrophic without urgent and decisive action,” the report states.
According to Julie Berckmans, a European Environment Agency (EEA) climate risk expert, “Eucra identifies three hotspot regions,” RFI informed. Among them are:
1. The continent of Southern Europe
In addition to destructive wildfires in forested areas that disrupt tourism, Southern Europe is seeing rising temperatures and droughts, which have an impact on outdoor workers in the agricultural industry.
2. Coastal low-lying areas
The “outermost regions” of the European Union are recognized as a third “hotspot”; these areas are particularly vulnerable to flooding and coastal erosion, she adds, “especially due to sea level rise,” and are isolated with inadequate infrastructure.
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3. Outermost regions
But climate warriors face an uphill battle.
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