January 26 (SeeNews) - The region of Southeast Europe (SEE) is expected to be most vulnerable to climate changes due to risks of maximum temperatures increases, reduced rainfalls and river flows, droughts, lower harvests, loss of biodiversity and forest fires, according to a new report from the European Environment Agency (EEA).
"Economic costs can potentially be high, even for modest levels of climate change, and these costs rise significantly for scenarios of greater levels of warming. The projected damage costs from climate change are highest in southern Europe," EEA said in a climate change impact report published on Wednesday.
The strongest rise in drought risks is projected for the region, where competition among different water users, such as agriculture, industry, tourism and households, is likely to increase.
Annual river flows are projected to decrease in southern and southeastern Europe.
An assessment with a focus on ecosystem services identifies the same spatial hotspots in southeastern Europe.
Under high vulnerability assumptions, almost 90% of the population in Europe is projected to be vulnerable to at least one sector by 2050. Hotspot areas with vulnerability to three or more sectors are found in particular in southern and southeastern Europe - Italy, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece.