Climate change impacts and vulnerability in Europe 2016

Multi-sectoral vulnerability and risks
Table 6.7
Risks and opportunities arising from climate change to the EU outermost regions by sector
Agriculture
Forestry
Fisheries and
aquaculture
Energy
Tourism
Construction
and buildings
Transport
Waste
Health
Biodiversity
Coastal zone
management
Soil
Water
Disaster and risk
Guadeloupe
Martinique
French Guiana
Réunion
Canary Islands
Azores
Madeira
Note:
The colour coding of the cells in the risk matrix represents the following: red, high risk; orange, moderate risk; brown, low risk;
green, opportunity; grey, the risk is relevant to the sector but could not be assessed. Some sectors in some regions experience both risks
and opportunities.
Source: EC, 2014a (Table 1).
Overseas countries and territories
The most recent overview of the potential climate
change impacts in OCTs is available from the OCTs
Environmental Profiles 2015, which comprise a main
report and five regional reports (EC, 2015a). These
reports highlight the wide range of observed and
projected climate change impacts across OCTs, which
reflect their climatic and environmental diversity.
A concise summary is available in the main report:
'Greenland, the British Antarctic Territory
and TAAF [French Southern and Antarctic
Territories] are well placed to study and
understand the effects of global climate
change. Ongoing processes in these territories
have worldwide impacts: changes in melting
of glaciers, sea ice extent, water mass
formation. Several OCTs are particularly
vulnerable to sea-level rise, and some effects
are already visible. Many OCTs lie on the path
of hurricanes and increased violence storms
are expected more frequently, but also changes
in precipitation patterns. Besides, changes
in ocean temperatures, salinity and currents
will bring changes in marine ecosystems,
endanger coral reefs which play a key role
in the physical defence and economies of
many territories, and have unpredicted
effects on fish stocks. Jointly, the OCTs have a
comparative advantage in studying first hand
these phenomena, and in testing adaptation
and mitigation measures that can then be
transferred to other neighbouring countries'.
(EC, 2015b, page 10)
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