Climate change impacts and vulnerability in Europe 2016

Climate change impacts on society
Map 5.1 Deaths related to flooding in Europe for the period 1991–2015
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Deaths per million inhabitants
related to flooding in Europe
for the period 1991–2015
Rate per 1 000 000 inhabitant
0 or not reported
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5–10
> 10
Outside coverage
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do not imply the expression of
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part of the Secreatriat of the
World Health Organization
concerning the legal status of any
country, territory, city or area or
of its authorities, or concerning
the delimitation of its frontiers
and boundaries.
Dotted and dashed lines on maps
represent approximate borders
for which there may not be full
agreement.
0 500 1000 1500 km
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© WHO 2016
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Note: This map shows the number of deaths per million inhabitants related to flooding in Europe (cumulative over the period 1991–2015).
Source:
EM‐DAT, adapted from WHO and PHE, 2013. © 2016 WHO.
increase in future flood hazards; these regions also
show the greatest increase in the population affected
by river floods (Rojas et al., 2012, 2013; Ciscar et al.,
2014).
If no additional adaptation measures were taken, the
number of people affected by coastal flooding in the
EU at the end of the 21st century would range from
775 000 to 5.5 million people annually, depending
on the emissions scenario. The number of deaths in
the EU due to coastal flooding in the 2080s would
increase by 3 000, 620 and 150 per year under a high
emissions scenario (assuming 88 cm sea level rise),
the SRES A1B 'business as usual' scenario and the
E1 mitigation scenario, respectively. Two‐thirds of
these deaths would occur in western Europe. Coastal
adaptation measures (dikes and beach nourishment)
could significantly reduce risks to less than 10 deaths
per year in 2080 (Ciscar et al., 2011; Kovats et al.,
2011). Somewhat different estimates were provided in
another study (Wolf et al., 2015).
Flooding is also associated with mental health impacts.
Coastal flooding in the EU could potentially cause five
million additional cases of mild depression annually by
the end of the 21st century under a high sea level rise
scenario in the absence of adaptation (Bosello et al.,
2011; Watkiss and Hunt, 2012).
206 Climate change, impacts and vulnerability in Europe 2016 | An indicator-based report