According to analyses and studies carried out worldwide, the most significant disturbances will be caused in the following areas:
1. Agriculture and agricultural production - the impact on crop yield, livestock management, geographical orientation of production and the risk of damage in harvests and the availability of fertile farmland.
2. Public health - Climate-related deaths and illnesses may increase.
3. Coasts and marine ecosystems - coastal erosion rates will be elevated. There may be increased catastrophic coastal floods with consequent damage to coastal homes, tourist accommodation and equipment, even in human safety. There may be further salination of coastal aquifers.
4. Forests - increases in fires in southern Europe.
5. Water Resources - their availability and quality will be affected.
6. Natural Ecosystems – loss of biodiversity and ecosystem degradation.
7. Fisheries and aquaculture - species moving to cooler climates.
8. Energy - direct impact on supply and demand and during peak times that will specifically affect electricity distribution networks.
9. Infrastructure - a threat in particular to coastal and densely populated urban areas where buildings, transport, power plants and drinking water are threatened, as well as networks such as electricity, telecommunication, water supply, sewerage, rainwater.
10. Tourism – possible shift of the “sun & sea” tourism towards northern European countries, decrease of seasonality, damage to coastal infrastructure.
More knowledge on the effects
While there is a good understanding of the main effects of climate change, there is less certainty as to how quickly these will happen, and which will be chain effects. Research on the impact of climate change on the various regions is at an early stage. As adaptation policies need to be put into action at the local level, we need to know more about each specific effect.