Castellari, Climate change, impacts andadaptation strategies in the Alpine Space

Also the AR4 climate projections showed that the global snow cover is projected to contract in the future. In particular, focusing on the European Alps region, the duration of snow cover is expected to decrease by several weeks for each °C of temperature increase in at middle elevations; small glaciers will disappear, while larger glaciers will suffer a volume reduction between 30% and 70% by 2050; a larger number of Alpine large lakes will be formed as glaciers retreat with potential for Glacier Lake Outburst Floods. All these results show that the Alps are a sensitive region to present and future climate change.

In fact the Alps could be largely affected by increase in year-to-year variability in summer climates and thus with a higher incidence of heat waves and droughts.

In this contest the INTERREG III B – Alpine Space ClimChAlp (Climate Change, Impacts and adaptation strategies in the Alpine Space), which has just ended In March 2008, has aimed to develop transnational strategies for climate change risk prevention over the Alps and to develop recommendations to policy-makers on possible adaptation strategies based on the project results.

In particular the ClimChAlp has produced a review and analysis of the different scientific issues regarding the climate change and resulting natural hazards, the impacts of climate change on spatial development and economy and a possible flexible response network for the Alpine region.