by Playfuls Staff |
11th January 2007
Ecosystems that supported European ways of life dating back to ancient Greece and Rome would be devastated by climate [more] change, the European Union said.
EU scientists said much of the continent's rich earth and wildlife would not survive the upward climate change forecast for the coming century, The Independent said Wednesday.
To fend off warmer temperatures, the European Commission said it wants EU member countries to commit to reducing emissions of carbon dioxide, the principal greenhouse gas, to 30 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 -- as long as other developed countries agree to do the same. Barring such a commitment, the EU would observe a unilateral 20 percent cut.
"Europe can expect a decline in arable land, a decline in Mediterranean forest areas, a decline in the terrestrial carbon sink and soil fertility, and an increase in the number of basins with water scarcity," the report said. "It will increase the loss of biodiversity."
Costs of coping with rising sea levels because of increased temperatures would run into the billions of dollars, the report said.
Regarding weather swings in coming years, the report predicted "the magnitude and frequency of extreme weather events will increase."
© 2007 UPI
