Climate change affects all regions of the world. The polar ice caps melt and the sea level rises. In some regions extreme weather and rainfall are increasingly common, while others are hit by unprecedented droughts and heat waves.
These phenomena are expected to intensify in the coming decades.
Melting of the ice and raising of the seas
When heated, the water heats up. Global warming causes both polar ice caps and glaciers to melt at the same time.
The combination of these phenomena raises sea levels, causing floods and erosion phenomena along low-lying coastal regions.
Extreme weather conditions and increased rainfall
Heavy rainfall and other extreme weather events are becoming more frequent. This can cause flooding and deterioration of water quality , and in some regions even the progressive shortage of water resources .
Consequences for Europe
In central and southern Europe , heat waves, forest fires and droughts are increasingly frequent.
The Mediterranean is turning into an arid region, which makes it even more vulnerable in the face of drought and forest fires.
The ' Northern Europe is becoming much more humid and winter floods could become a recurring phenomenon.
The urban areas , where they live today 4 of 5 Europeans, are exposed to heat waves and floods and rising sea level, but often are not prepared to adapt to climate change.
Consequences for developing countries
Poor developing countries are often the hardest hit. Their populations generally depend heavily on their natural habitat and have very few resources to cope with climate change.
Risks to human health
Climate change is already having an impact on health:
in some regions there is an increase in the number of deaths from heat and in others there is an increase in deaths from cold
There are already some changes in the distribution of certain waterborne diseases and disease vectors.
The costs for society and the economy
Damage to homes, infrastructure and human health impose high costs on society and the economy.
Between 1980 and 2011, floods affected more than 5.5 million people and caused direct economic losses of over 90 billion euros.
Sectors that are highly dependent on certain temperatures and rainfall levels such as agriculture, forestry, energy and tourism are particularly affected.
Risks to wildlife
Climate change is occurring at such a rapid pace that many animal and plant species are struggling to adapt.
Many terrestrial, marine and freshwater species have already moved to other areas. Some plant and animal species will be at greater risk of extinction if the world average temperature continues to rise uncontrollable.
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