Europe faces drought, flood, heatwaves... 19 August 04

Europe is warming faster than the rest of the world, and climate change impacts already include severe flooding, heatwaves and disappearing glaciers, according to a new report by the European Environment Agency. Economic losses from climate-related disasters have more than doubled in the last 20 years, with the August 2002 flooding in central Europe costing $15 billion alone. Due to rapid melting, glaciers are now smaller than for the past 5,000 years. And it’s going to get worse: droughts are set to become more frequent as Southern Europe bakes, whilst the Alps will have lost 75% of their ice by 2050. Depressing, but essential, reading.