The European environment agency measures climate change in 22 easy steps
Environment Daily 1714, 18/08/04
The European environment agency has produced a new and comprehensive report on the impacts of global warming based on findings related to 22 key 'indicators' of climate change. Using data produced by the intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC), the report warns of challenges ahead in a Europe where temperatures are rising faster than the global average.
The agency's new report is set to become an important reference point as the EU pursues its debate over how best to tackle climate change. It is the latest effort resulting from a mandate to present environmental statistics in easily digestible form; the indicator approach has now been firmly established with reports such as the annual "environmental signals" survey.
The 22 climate impact indicators are grouped into eight categories: atmosphere and climate; glaciers, snow and ice; marine systems; terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity; water; agriculture; economy; and human health.
The indicators range from greenhouse gas concentrations (under atmosphere and climate) to rise in sea levels (marine systems). Trends in the indicators will only become apparent as the IPCC produces new data, the agency says.
The report then recommends "adaptation strategies" to deal with climate change, warning that "society has to prepare for and adapt to the consequences of some inevitable climate change, in addition to taking action to mitigate it".
Tony Carritt of the EEA told Environment Daily call for better adaptation to climate change "does not in any way take away the need to cut emissions". The report wanted to draw attention to the need for both approaches, he said.
Free-market think-tank IPN welcomed the call for adaptation but cast doubt on the need to reduce emissions. IPN director Julian Morris said adaptation was more "cost-effective" than "aggressive" policies such as the Kyoto Protocol which "hinder our ability to adapt to change by undermining economic growth".
Meanwhile WWF said the report's finding that warming levels are higher in Europe than the rest of the world made it more important than ever for the continent to lead the way in climate change policy. "Cutting emissions will not be a selfless act - it is very much in the interest of Europe," said the group's Germana Canzi.
Follow-up: EEA http://www.eea.eu.int/