Background report to the preparation of the Impact assessment on the EU adaptation strategy – part I

Current and projected impacts in Europe, together with their related costs, suggest that climate change will — either directly or indirectly — test the vulnerability of European society with economic, environmental, societal, geopolitical and technological risks. The security, health and quality of life of European citizens are at the core of the matter and climate change constitutes an additional pressure that challenges most of the components of human and natural systems.

A range of (EU funded and other) projects and exchange with stakeholders have led to an improved understanding of certain aspects of climate change impacts, vulnerabilities and adaptation with potential effects on certain policy areas/sectors which have been assessed in detail in the context of developing an EU Adaptation Strategy and are summarized in the following:

1) Climate impacts on economic sectors and systems

2) Climate impacts on environmental and human systems

3) Climate impacts on social issues

4) Climate impacts on the private sector