Informe El medio ambiente en Europa: Estado y perspectivas 2020

PART 2
FIGURE 7.7 Economic damage caused by climate-related extreme events in EEA member countries
Billion EUR (2017 values)
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Note:
1980
Events:
Source:
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
Meteorological Hydrological Climatological
1996
Meteorological events: storms; hydrological events: floods and mass movement; climatological events: cold waves, heat waves,
droughts, forest fires.
Adapted from EEA (2019b), NatCatSERVICE provided by Munich Re.
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Health impacts of climate change
Heat waves are the most deadly
climate extremes in Europe. The
2003 summer heat wave alone is
estimated to have caused around
70 000 premature deaths in Europe
(Robine et al., 2008). The projected
substantial increase in the frequency
and magnitude of heat waves will
lead to a large increase in mortality
over the next few decades, especially
in vulnerable population groups
(the elderly, children, those in poor
health), unless adaptation measures
are taken. Urban areas are particularly
affected due to the combined effects
of higher temperatures as a result
of the urban heat island effect, the
frequent combination of heat with air
pollution, including ground-level ozone,
and high population density (EEA,
2016d). Different population groups are
affected differently, depending on their
age, general health and socio‐economic
status (EEA, 2019j).
Climate change is also affecting human
health and well-being directly through
floods and indirectly by changing the
magnitude, frequency, seasonality
and/or regional distribution of vector-,
water- and food-borne diseases,
pollen allergens and air pollution
incidents. For example, extremely
warm water temperatures in the
Baltic and North Seas during recent
heat waves were associated with
unprecedented peaks in Vibrio infections
in humans (EEA, 2017c, Section 5.2).
Economic losses from
climate‐related extremes
The direct economic losses caused by
weather- and climate-related extremes
in the EEA member countries amounted
to approximately EUR 453 billion (in 2017
euro values) over the period 1980-2017
(Figure 7.7). The analysis of historical
trends is difficult, because most of the
losses were caused by a small number of
very severe events (EEA, 2019b). Model
simulations performed by the Joint
Research Centre project large increases
in most climate hazards in Europe and
considerable economic damage. For
example, in a hypothetical scenario
without additional adaptation, impacts
on critical infrastructure could rise 10-fold
during the 21st century due to climate
change alone (Forzieri et al., 2016, 2018).
Other economic impacts
of climate change
A changing climate is affecting a
wide range of economic sectors and
human activities, including agriculture,
forestry, fisheries, water management,
SOER 2020/Climate change
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