Climate change, impacts and vulnerability in Europe 2016

This report is an indicator-based assessment of past and projected climate change and its impacts on ecosystems and society. It also looks at society’s vulnerability to these impacts and at the development of adaptation policies and the underlying knowledge base. This is the fourth ‘Climate change, impacts and vulnerability in Europe’ report, which is published every four years.

This edition aims to support the implementation and review process of the 2013 EU Adaptation Strategy, which is foreseen for 2018, and the development of national and transnational adaptation strategies and plans. Key findings include the following:

• Humans have significantly changed the climate and increased the magnitude of many extreme weather events;
• Climate change has wide-ranging impacts on ecosystems, economic sectors and human health;
• Different regions and sectors in Europe are affected differently by climate change;
• Climate change impacts interact with other developments inside and outside Europe;
• Mitigation of climate change is required to limit the long-term risks from climate change;
• Adaptation to climate change is necessary to reduce short- and long-term risks from climate change;
• Better monitoring, research and information exchange can improve the knowledge base for adaptation.