The arrows show the trend in relative sea level at selected European tide gauge stations since 1970 (in mm/year) based on data from the Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level (PSMSL).
The background colours show projections of European sea level change for 2081–2100 for RCP8.5 (in metres). Results are median values based on the values in the IPCC SROCC Table 4.4.
The left panel depicts the rise in global mean sea level from 1880 to 2019 based on two data sources.
The red line (DMW) shows the hybrid sea-level reconstruction of sea level anomalies during 1900–2015 (Dangendorf et al., 2019). The uncertainty interval around is shaded.
The dark blue line (CMEMS) shows the filtered sea level anomalies for the time period from 1993 to 2019 based on satellite observations (Ablain et al., 2017; WCRP Sea Level Budget Group, 2018).
All values are relative to the average level of the period 1993-2012, during which the two datasets overlap.
The right panel shows projections of global mean sea level until 2100 for three emissions scenarios based on the IPCC SROCC (Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate).
Indicator Assessment
11 Dec 2020
Global mean sea level (GMSL) has risen about 19 cm since 1900, at an accelerating rate. GMSL reached its highest value ever in 2019. Climate models project a GMSL rise during the 21st century that will likely be in the range of 0.29-0.59 m for a low emissions scenario and 0.61-1.10 m for a high one. GMSL projections that include the possibility of faster disintegration of the polar ice sheets predict a rise of up to 2.4 m in 2100 and up to 15 m in 2300. Most coastal regions in Europe have experienced an increase in sea level relative to land, except for the northern Baltic coast.
Data Visualization
10 Dec 2020
The figure shows the maximum extent of ice cover in the Baltic Sea in the winters over the period 1719/20-2019/20 (blue bars) and the 15 year moving average (red line). Source: Jouni Vainio, Finnish Meteorological Institute (updated from Seinä and Palosuo 1996; Seinä et al. 2001).
Indicator Assessment
08 Dec 2020
Arctic sea ice is declining rapidly. Since 1979, the Arctic has lost, on average, an area of 79 000 km 2 of sea ice per year in summer and 33 000 km 2 per year in winter. The Arctic summer sea ice area in 2020 was the second lowest ever. Arctic sea ice is also getting younger and thinner. A nearly ice-free Arctic sea in summer is projected to be a rare event for 1.5 °C of global warming but the norm for 2.5 °C of warming. The maximum sea ice extent in the Baltic Sea has shown a decreasing trend since about 1800 and reached its lowest value ever in winter 2019/20. This decreasing trend is projected to continue.
The map shows the long-term impact of water deficit on vegetation productivity, and the area of low vegetation productivity under water deficit impact, aggregated by NUTS3 regions. Negative anomalies are expressed in standard deviation and indicate vegetation productivity conditions that are lower than the long-term average under normal, non-drought conditions.
Data Visualization
30 Oct 2020
New technology and tools are opening up new possibilities for environmental monitoring and analysis. For
example, citizen science, satellite observations, big data and artificial intelligence present opportunities for
improving the timeliness, comparability, granularity and integration of data.
Despite the increasing awareness of climate change impacts and the need to adapt, many of Europe’s cities and towns are struggling to handle the impacts of heatwaves, severe droughts and destructive floods. Two European Environment Agency (EEA) reports published today stress the urgent need for action to improve adaptation and resilience at local and national government levels.
EEA assessment report presenting the status quo of adaptation to climate change at the local government level, with particular focus on cities. The assessment presents the overview of climate risks to cities, types of adaptation responses, extent of adaptation planning and actions at the loal level in Europe and opportunities to scale up and speed up implementation of adaptation to climate change at the local level.
The Global Goal on Adaptation aims to enhance adaptive
capacity, strengthen resilience and reduce vulnerability to
climate change. Given the impact of climate-related hazards, the
question is not whether adaptation is necessary, but what are
the adaptation options to increase resilience.
European countries are taking drastic measures to limit the impacts of Covid-19 on Europeans’ health and the economy. Such crises tend to have immediate and severe impacts on entire populations and the economy. Considering its potential to affect key economic sectors, the coronavirus crisis is expected to reduce some of the impacts of economic activities on the environment and climate. Yet, major and abrupt shocks with an extremely high cost to society are not at all how the European Union has committed to transform its economy and achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The European Green Deal and the recently proposed European Climate Law call instead for irreversible and gradual reductions in emissions, while ensuring a just transition, supporting those affected.
The preservation and restoration of Europe’s largely degraded floodplains, must be better prioritised according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) report published today. The report says floodplains have a key role to play in improving biodiversity, water, and climate change mitigation and adaptation.
GIS Map Application
13 Feb 2020
These maps present a story about how Europe might be affected by key climate hazards such as droughts, floods, forest fires and sea level rise during the 21st century and beyond. These maps are based on different greenhouse gas emissions scenarios and climate models and have been published already in various EEA reports and indicators.
Facebook Live interview on Climate Change.
GIS Map Application
14 Nov 2019
The aim of this map viewer is to provide an overview of the current and future climate hazards facing the European cities, the vulnerability of the cities to these hazards and their adaptive capacity.
This past summer’s heatwaves and extreme weather events have broken new climate records in Europe once again reinforcing the importance of climate change adaptation. We sat down with Blaz Kurnik, a European Environment Agency (EEA) expert on climate change impacts and adaptation to discuss the EEA’s new report on how climate change is impacting agriculture in Europe which came out earlier this month.
This layer provides information at 237 locations along the European coastline
Climate quality index:
Structural analysis 1961-1990
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