Life in Europe Under Climate Change

by Alcamo, Joseph; Olesen, Jorgen E.

• ISBN13: 9781405196192
• ISBN10: 140519619X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2012-05-21
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

Although there is wide public interest in climate change, most of the latest information is available only in technical reports. This ground-breaking text makes crucial information about climate change widely available to teachers, students, political leaders, and citizens. Describing the implications of climate change in Europe, the book presents the latest most reliable information from IPCC reports in a readable and accessible form. It covers not only the expected impacts of climate change in Europe, but also the actions that society can take to adapt to it. Key Features: Written for a wide, non-specialist audience Non-mathematical Translates IPCC data into practical consequences for European environment Looks at a wide variety of issues - agriculture, fisheries, natural habitats, water supply, human health, and more Provides European environmental managers, planners and scientists with clear information on which to base decisions on funding, policy, and research Can be used as a reader or even main text for European courses on climate change

Author Biography

Joseph Alcamo is Chief Scientist of the United Nations Environment Programme where he is responsible for engaging the scientific community in the policy arena to help solve global environmental problems. He is on leave as Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering and Director of the Center of Environmental Systems Research at the University of Kassel, Germany. He was a coordinating lead author of the assessment of climate impacts in Europe in the Fourth Assessment report of the IPCC.

J?rgen E. Olesen is Professor of agriculture and climate change at Aarhus University in Denmark. He was a lead author in the Fourth Assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He was a member of the Commission on Climate Change Policy for the Government in Denmark. He is a member of the Danish Council on Ethics, and he chairs the food and agriculture group of the Danish green think tank CONCITO.

Table of Contents

Foreword vi

Preface viii

1 Introduction 1

2 Climate and climate change 21

3 Human health 48

4 Food production 72

5 Water security 98

6 Sea and coastline 124

7 Ecosystems and biodiversity 146

8 Impacts on Europe’s industries 188

9 Summing up impacts and adaptation 207

10 Climate protection in Europe 241

Index 283

Color plate pages fall between pp. 150 and 151