The Environmental Atlas

Climate change — time to act: Climate change is a real and current threat. To avoid major irreversible impacts on society and ecosystems, we must act now.
Located in Multimedia centre
Range of high-end estimates of global sea-level rise published after the IPCC AR4: This figure shows the range of high-end global sea-level rise (metre per century) estimates published after the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (AR4). AR4 results are shown for comparison in the three left-most columns.
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
Living with Climate change: Global warming is happening. Temperatures have already risen by 0.76 degrees since the industrial revolution and are projected to rise further by 1.8 - 4 degrees by the end of the century. The last time climate change happened at this pace was 125,000 years ago and led to a 4-6 metre sea level rise. Global warming at the upper end of the scale predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change would have catastrophic consequences for Europe. Up to 30% of plant, animal and bird species would be wiped out and the threat of natural disasters such as landslides, floods and mudslides would increase significantly.
Located in Environmental topics › Climate change › Multimedia
Prof. Jacqueline McGlade on adapting to the impacts of climate change – speech for the ESPACE initiative: In her speech, Prof. Jacqueline McGlade, Executive Director of the European Environment Agency (EEA), stresses the importance of imbedding climate change into planning systems and processes. ESPACE (European Spatial Planning: Adapting to Climate Events) is a four-year European project promoting the importance of adapting the entire planning process to the impacts of climate change.
Located in Multimedia centre
Climate refugees: climate refugees
Located in Signals — every breath we take › Signals 2011 › Eyewitness stories
Potential inundation exposure for coastal cities due to projected sea level rise and storm surge events: The map shows the proportion of the city area (UMZ inside the core city) that would be affected by potential inundation caused by a sea level rise of 1m.
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
Understanding climate change — SOER 2010 thematic assessment: Average global air and ocean temperatures are rising, leading to the melting of snow and ice and rising global mean sea level. Ocean acidification results from higher CO2 concentrations. With unabated greenhouse gas emissions, climate change could lead to an increasing risk of irreversible shifts in the climate system with potentially serious consequences. Temperature rises of more than 1.5–2 °C above pre-industrial levels are likely to cause major societal and environmental disruptions in many regions. The atmospheric CO2 concentration needs to be stabilised at 350–400 parts per million (ppm) in order to have a 50 % chance of limiting global mean temperature increase to 2 °C above pre-industrial levels (according to the IPCC in 2007, and confirmed by later scientific insights).
Located in The European environment – state and outlook 2010 › Thematic assessments
Marine and coastal environment — SOER 2010 thematic assessment: European marine regions include the north-east Atlantic and Arctic oceans, and the Mediterranean, Black and Baltic seas. Human activities — such as fishing, aquaculture and agriculture — and climate change cause large and severe impacts on Europe's coastal and marine ecosystems. The EU objective of halting biodiversity loss by 2010 has not been met in either the coastal or the marine environment. Recognising the need for an integrated ecosystem-based approach to reduce pressures, the EU Integrated Maritime Policy allows for the development of sea-related activities in a sustainable manner. Its environmental pillar, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, aims to deliver 'good environmental status' of the marine environment by 2020, and the Common Fisheries Policy will be reformed in 2012 with the aim of achieving sustainable fisheries. Complementary policy efforts include the EU Water Framework Directive and other freshwater legislation, and the Habitats and Birds Directives.
Located in The European environment – state and outlook 2010 › Thematic assessments
Global and European sea-level rise (CLIM 012) - Assessment published Nov 2012: Tide gauges show that global mean sea level rose at a rate of around 1.7 mm/year over the 20th century, but there has been significant decadal variations around this value. Satellite measurements show a rate of global mean sea-level rise of around 3 mm/year over the last 2 decades. Sea level is not rising uniformly at all locations, with some locations experiencing much greater than average rise. Projections of global mean sea-level rise in the 21st century range between 20 cm and about 2 m. Modelling uncertainty contributes at least as much to the overall uncertainty as uncertainty about future GHG emissions scenarios. It is likely that 21st century sea-level rise will be greater than during the 20th century. It is more likely to be less than 1 m than to be more than 1 m. Coastal impacts also depend on the vertical movement of the land, which can either add to or subtract from climate-induced sea-level change, depending on the particular location.
Located in Data and maps › Indicators › Global and European sea-level rise
EEA Briefing 3/2008 - Impacts of Europe's changing climate: Global climate change is a reality. In Europe the most vulnerable regions are the Arctic, mountain areas, coastal zones and the Mediterranean. Key economic sectors, which will need to adapt include energy supply, health, water management, agriculture, forestry, tourism and transport.
Located in Publications