"Some regions of Europe are hotspots for multiple climate risks. Southern Europe is particularly exposed to the risk of wildfires and the impacts of heat and water scarcity on agricultural production, outdoor work and human health," states the European Environment Agency (EEA) in the first European assessment of climate risks.

The report, which identifies 36 climate risks in the European Union (EU), states that "heat-related risks have already reached critical levels in southern Europe", given the "more frequent and more intense" high temperatures in this region, which covers countries such as Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece.

Data from the EEA indicates that three of the eight risks in the maximum urgency category are highly serious in southern Europe, with phenomena such as heatwaves and drought at stake.

"This [atmospheric] warming, as well as its more powerful effects on older groups, exposes a greater part of the population to thermal 'stress', especially in southern and central-western Europe", adds the European agency.

In the summer of 2022, for example, between 60,000 and 70,000 premature deaths in Europe were attributed to heat, despite considerable investment in heat-related health action plans.

"Warmer temperatures also facilitate the northward movement of disease vectors and their spread to higher altitudes. Southern Europe is now warm enough for mosquitoes to transmit previously tropical diseases," warns the European agency.

According to this first-ever assessment of climate risks in the EU, "Europe's adaptation policies and actions are not keeping pace with the rapid growth of risks".

"In many cases, adaptation will not be sufficient and, as many measures to improve climate resilience require a long period of time, urgent action may be necessary even in relation to risks that are not yet critical", the report further indicates.

Climate change, accentuated by human actions, is affecting the planet and, globally, 2023 was the hottest year on record, with the global average temperature between February 2023 and January 2024 exceeding pre-industrial levels by 1.5ºC.

Europe is the continent that is registering the fastest warming in the world.

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