1. EEA, Copenhagen, 27-28 November 2007
1st EIONET workshop on climate change vulnerability, impacts and adaptation
EEA, Copenhagen, November 2007
Adapting to climate change in Europe
André Jol
European Environment Agency
Key impacts and vulnerability in Europe
UNFCCC Nairobi work programme
Green Paper
Examples of current initial adaptation actions
Challenges : what is needed next

2. Changes in climate and their impacts are already visible globally and projected to become more pronounced (2004 report)
Update of the report planned for 2008

3. In Europe mountain regions, coastal zones, flood risk areas, wetlands and the Mediterranean region are most vulnerable (2005 report/briefing)
There is scope for adaptation planning and implementation
in many other areas than flood defence (e.g. water resources,
ecosystem management, public health)

4. Countries have started to adapt to impacts of climate change on water resources but there is still much scope for further action
EEA 2007 technical report
Source: EEA 2007

5. Key European CC vulnerabilities (biogeographical regions)
Vulnerabilities vary throughout Europe with for example mountain regions suffering from the changes in glaciers and snow; coastal regions vulnerable to sea- level rise and storms; and the Mediterranean subject to droughts and floods.
These impacts will have knock-on effects on different economic sectors, including agriculture and tourism. There are other important economic sectors where there will be significant impacts.

6. Why is adaptation important ?
Climate change cannot be totally avoided
Anticipatory adaptation can be more effective and less costly than “retrofitting” or “emergency adaptation”
Climate change may be more rapid and pronounced than currently known
Immediate benefits from adaptation to current climate variability and extreme events
Avoid maladaptive policies and practices
Global temperatures are projected to increase 1.8 to 4.0ºC by 2100 (from 1990); substantial GHG emission reduction is needed to achieve the EU target of +2 ºC above pre-industrial level; adaptation is also needed even if this target is achieved.
Apart from temperature increase sea level rise is also a global and European problem.
There are a lot of benefits of (planned) adaptation.

7. UNFCCC Nairobi work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change
Initial overview of activities including workshops, reports and submissions by Parties and other relevant organisations
Methods and tools
Data and observations
Climate modelling, scenarios and downscaling
Climate related risks and extreme events
Socio-economic information
Adaptation planning and practices
Research
Technologies for adaptation
Economic diversification
Global temperatures are projected to increase 1.8 to 4.0ºC by 2100 (from 1990); substantial GHG emission reduction is needed to achieve the EU target of +2 ºC above pre-industrial level; adaptation is also needed even if this target is achieved.
Apart from temperature increase sea level rise is also a global and European problem.
There are a lot of benefits of (planned) adaptation.

8. Commission Green Paper 2007, White Paper 2008
Green Paper launch 3 July 2007
Public consultation until 30 November 2007
4 regional workshops held (Helsinki, Sep; Budapest, 15 Oct; London, Oct; Lisbon, 5-6 Nov)
Summary report on the public consultation by January 2008
White paper with more concrete policy measures: November 2008 (Impact assessment accompanying the white paper)
EEA received the following responses from a questionnaire to member countries about their awareness of climate change and what they were doing and planning to do about the different impacts.
Source: Commission, Green Paper

9. Why is action needed at the EU level ?
Impacts affecting regions require cross-boundary approach : benefits and added value from an EU-wide integrated and coordinated approach
Impacts are affecting sectors (agriculture, fisheries, water, biodiversity, energy networks, …) that are largely integrated at EU through the single market and common policies.
Community funding programmes: an opportunity to push for adaptation action and measures. Cohesion, structural fund, rural development, agriculture, social funds, external action, research, trans-european networks, fisheries, …) should integrate adaptation concerns.
Solidarity with most vulnerable regions in Europe is needed.
Europe has the capacity to take a strong leadership role globally. Duty to support other regions and developing countries in the world
EEA received the following responses from a questionnaire to member countries about their awareness of climate change and what they were doing and planning to do about the different impacts.
Source: Commission, Green Paper

10. Options for EU action: 4 pillars
Early action in the EU (First pillar)
Integrating adaptation into EU external actions (Second pillar)
Reducing uncertainty by expanding the knowledge base through integrated climate research (Third pillar)
Involving European society, business and public sector in the preparation of coordinated and comprehensive adaptation strategies (Fourth pillar)
EEA received the following responses from a questionnaire to member countries about their awareness of climate change and what they were doing and planning to do about the different impacts.
Source: Commission, Green Paper

11. EEA mentioned in Green Paper
Contributing to the ‘Expanding the knowledge base’ (Third pillar):
‘Providing every 4-5 years up-to-date synthesis reports on climate impacts, adaptation and vulnerabilities to be produced by the European Environment Agency and the Joint Research Centre, based inter alia on the results from the EU Research Framework Programmes and national research.’
EEA received the following responses from a questionnaire to member countries about their awareness of climate change and what they were doing and planning to do about the different impacts.
Source: Commission, Green Paper

12. Some issues with adaptation
Complexities
Challenges
Cross-sectoral
Uncertainty – different confidence for average temperature vs. extremes
Determined by future socio-economic development
Ownership - different actors (builder vs. operator)
Time-scales – investing now for benefits in the (far) future
Inequalities (impacts and adaptive capacity)
Timing – pro-active vs. reactive ?
Cost-effective adaptation – what is proportionate and efficient?
Ancillary effects – positive and negative?
Differences in scale, from EU to local
Integration & consistency?
Appropriate adaptation “stakeholder- led”, rather than enforced
Source: Paul Watkiss

13. Examples of national assessments
Finland: FINADAPT (Assessing the adaptive capacity of the Finnish environment and society under a changing climate)
Germany: KomPass (Competence Centre on Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation)
Hungary: VAHAVA Changing (VÁltozás) Impact (HAtás) Response (VÁlaszadás)
Netherlands: CcSP (Climate Changes Spatial Planning)
Portugal: SIAM (Scenarios, Impacts and Adaptation Measures)
Spain: ECCE (Assessment of the Preliminary Impacts in Spain due to Climate Change)
Sweden: SWECLIM (Swedish Regional Climate Modelling Programme)
UK: UKCIP (Climate Impact Programme)
All countries: communications to UNFCCC

14. Current national adaptation plans and measures
Preparation of national adaptation strategies: Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK, Hungary, Slovak Republic etc
Sectoral actions mainly in areas with a long tradition of dealing with climate extremes such as flood defence, water scarcity and droughts
Water sector- recent focus of EEA study (with German Presidency) with a country survey: very high awareness, measures implemented, planned or underway from technical engineering, building codes, spatial planning, improved forecasting, improved landscape management, behaviour campaigns, new economic instruments
EEA received the following responses from a questionnaire to member countries about their awareness of climate change and what they were doing and planning to do about the different impacts.

15. Recent droughts and flooding – range of actions
New legislation: France, Portugal
New water savings standards, recycling: Cyprus, UK
New infrastructure, desalinisation plants: Cyprus, Spain, UK
Effective economic instruments: Germany
Floods:
Emergency responses, improved forecasting- all
Self- protection and flood awareness
Spatial planning and land management
Hard and soft engineering

16. EEA planned 2008 products on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation
Support EU policy development on adaptation (e.g. White Paper)
Continue networking with main clients and partners, e.g. this EIONET Workshop (also in 2008)
Publish technical report on costs of inaction and adaptation, further work on costs of adaptation, exploring approaches to include country specific information
Publish indicator based assessment report on impacts of climate change in Europe in 2008 (update of 2004) and also on the web
Develop specific adaptation indicators
Develop outlooks/scenarios for next EEA State of the Environment and Outlook report 2010
Help integrate cc impacts & adaptation issues in other main policy areas in particular Water and Biodiversity
Develop all as part of the Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS)

17. 2008 climate change impact report
Target audience: policymakers and (informed) public
Present past and projected climate change and impacts
Identify sectors and regions most vulnerable with high need for adaptation
Increase awareness of need for adaptation and global/EU mitigation
Highlight the need for enhanced monitoring, data collection and dissemination, and reduce uncertainties
Indicator categories:
Atmosphere and climate
Cryosphere
Marine and coast
Terrestrial ecosystems, biodiversity
Agriculture and forestry
Water quantity, river flows, floods, drought
Water quality and fresh water ecology
Human health
Economic sectors
Launch: Sep 2008