Mapping climate change - barriers and opportunities for action

Forestry
Fisheries
Energy
Tourism
The industrial sectors, apart from tourism, are characterised by production directly dependent on the
climate and therefore extremely vulnerable to climate change. Higher temperatures will generally
provide for better growing conditions, which these sectors may exploit in their production, whereas
more extreme events such as storms and heavy precipitation may harm production. Increased
temperatures in Denmark in combination with more intense heatwaves in southern Europe will open
up for tourism opportunities in Denmark.
Biological areas
Nature
Human health
In the biological areas, both humans and nature will respond and attempt to adapt to the changed
climate. There will be both negative and positive impacts. For example, higher temperatures will
provide for improved growing conditions for many species, however they may also lead to the
spread of new types of disease.
Cross-sectoral areas
Emergency preparedness
Insurance
Spatial planning
There will be direct physical climate change impacts in the cross-sectoral areas in the same way as
in the other areas identified. The cross-sectoral areas, however, are characterised by providing
services to the other areas where they are especially vulnerable to changes in climate.
Spatial planning is about land use, which is extremely reliant on physical and climatic conditions,
and, as such, spatial planning is vital in cross-sectoral preventive efforts within climate change
adaptation.
Emergency preparedness is about reducing the extent of the damage from extreme weather events,
while the insurance industry provides compensation to those who have suffered damage. Both of
these cross-sectoral areas are vital in mitigating the negative impacts of extreme weather events in
the other sectors and industries.
Below is an outline by area of the positive as well as the negative impacts of climate change, and
the barriers and opportunities in climate change adaptation efforts.
23