Water temperature in Med. less affected by climate change

A European report on the effects of climate change shows that water temperature trends in the northern regions of Europe have progressed differently from those in the Mediterranean.

The scientific evidence shows that in the areas around Scotland, water temperatures have risen approximately one degree Celsius over the last 20 years, whereas the change in the Mediterranean is closer to 0.5 degrees Celsius.

Throughout Europe, rates of sea level change have also varied, ranging from 0.8 mm per year to three mm per year.

Such changes in sea level interfere with other critical processes including tide behavior, changes in sea-ice conditions, evaporation and various tectonic developments on land such as rising land masses due to the melting of glaciers, which require careful attention and continuous monitoring, the Commission said.

The report, by the Joint Research Centre, the scientific branch of the European Commission, identifies gaps in the current scientific and technological knowledge base regarding climate-related impacts, along with policy recommendations to address them.

The report stresses that any policies designed to mitigate climate change impacts will have to address human exploitation of the seas and coasts and to ensure sustainable management of marine resources.

Ever-increasing human activity on European coasts is having an adverse effect on marine habitats. Fisheries, energy production, trade and tourism, among others, are ways in which humans are altering marine environments, the report says.