Search results

96 results

Regional climate change and adaptation — The Alps facing the challenge of changing water resources

Drawing on the most recent knowledge of climate change impacts in the Alps and experiences across the region, this report analyses the risks that climate change presents to the region's water supply and quality, identifying needs, constraints, opportunities, policy levers and options for adaptation. It extracts policy guidance on adaptation practice and aims to assist regional and local stakeholders in developing robust adaptation strategies. The focus of the report is on water resources and related adaptation, rather than water-related extreme events like floods, avalanches, landslides or mudflows, which are already well covered by existing studies of climate change impacts in the Alps.

10 messages for 2010 — Mountain ecosystems

European mountain regions provide essential ecosystem services for lowlands and host a great diversity of habitats and species, many adapted to specific extreme climatic conditions. Mountain ecosystems are fragile and vulnerable, and face severe threats from land abandonment, intensifying agriculture, impacts of infrastructure development, unsustainable exploitation and climate change.

Road distance to nearest motorway or major road on base of LAU2-units (municipalities)

Road accessibility in km from the centre of municipalities to the next motorway or major road

Seasonal changes in precipitation and temperature up until the end of the 21st century, according to CLM scenario A1B

Left: absolute difference in temperature

Simulated change in precipitation (2071–2100 to 1961–1990) and temperature (2071–2100 to 1961–1990) statistics in the Greater Alpine Area in (a) winter and (b) summer for four Regional Climate Models

-

Temperature distribution within a mountain range containing permafrost

Note: Permafrost is present in the blue area bordered by a black line.

Temperature measured in different boreholes in mountain permafrost in Switzerland 1987-2007

Note: Measured at ca

The Alps, as defined for application of the Alpine Convention

Perimeter of the Alpine Convention

The Carpathians, as defined for the Carpathians Environment Outlook 2007

-

The GLORIA target regions in Europe

The GLORIA target regions in Europe. Vascular plant species richness (total and endemic species; data pooled from four summit sites per region) is shown for the initial 18 GLORIA-Europe regions.

The Valais

The main Rhone Valley runs through the centre of the region, with industry and agriculture mainly at lowers elevations (A). The impacts of increased temperature and drought on ecosystem services are predicted to be most pronounced in the main valley. Side valleys commonly have steep slopes and are dominated by forests that often provide protection from rock fall and avalanches (e.g. the Saas-Valley, B). Traditionally, grazing and high-elevation agriculture have been practiced at higher elevations. However, as the intensity of these activities has decreased over the past century, parts of these high-elevation areas are being reclaimed by forest (C).

Time series and regression lines for annual average deepwater temperatures

-

Urban centres around the Alps

Urban, rural, coastal and mountain areas in Europe

Valais forest state for lower elevation areas

Forest state (biomass) as simulated by the forest model LandCLim, across two elevation gradients in the Valais, Switzerland

Vanishing open landscape in the East Carpathians Biosphere Reserve, Slovakia

Land use development of the East Carpathians Biosphere Reserve in 3 time series (1949, 1987, 2003) identified from aerial photographs

Wilderness comparison

Four distinct charts showing comparison of wilderness areas between massifs and between countries.

Wilderness Quality Index

Wilderness Quality Index maps.

Withdrawal of farming in mountain NUTS 3 areas (percentage change in the period 1990–2000)

-

Yearly relative frequency of lightning-induced fires with respect to total number of fires in the summer period (June to September) in the Swiss Alps

-

National parks and nature reserves in Iceland

Map of Iceland showing parks/reserves, plus elevation, major roads and tracks

National percentage of area covered by Natura 2000 sites inside and outside mountains by country, and of area covered by mountains

The graph shows a comparison at national level of percentage of area covered by Natura2000 sites inside and outside mountains, as well as the percentage of mountainous areas by country.

National population in mountain massifs, 2008

it shows the population number within each European Mountain Massif for each country

Natural (1909–1948) and recent (1949–2007) flows for the River Vojmån, and flow according to the plans for diverting water from its catchment

-

Natural and environmental assets

The maps show the natural and environmental assets for the EU-27.