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This European Environment Agency (EEA) report analyses the risks that climate change presents to the region, extracts policy guidance on adaptation practice and aims to assist regional and local stakeholders in developing robust adaptation strategies.

Spanning the centre of continental Europe, the Alps play a crucial role in supplying water to the continent. The mountains host most of the headwaters of the rivers Danube, Rhine, Po and Rhone; as such, they deliver vital ecosystem services both within and beyond the region, underpinning social and economic wellbeing in vast lowland areas.

Projected water shortages and more frequent extreme events, combined with increasing water demand are likely to have severe adverse effects on ecosystem services, additionally 60% of mountain plant species may face extinction by 2100 if unable to adapt by moving northward or uphill.

The report suggests that adaptation options for biodiversity conservation in the Alps fall in two broad categories:

• Supporting autonomous adaptation of the organisms and ecosystems, for example by maintaining genetic diversity and removing migration barriers; and
• Maintaining the original habitat and preventing or slowing down climatic and environmental changes, for example through physical glacier protection, subsidies paid to upland farmers in order to maintain traditional pastures or the re-establishment of riparian forests to buffer run-off extremes and maintain a unique landscape.

The report recommends biodiversity conservation and management in the Alps should continue to observe the operational guidelines of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

The full report 'Regional climate change and adaptation — The Alps facing the challenge of changing water resources' (EEA Report No 8/2009) is available for download via EEA Publications.

Climate change and adaptation strategy in the EU - further reading:

Useful information and guidance on European frameworks for adaptation measures and policies (to increase resilience to climate change impacts) include:

The EU Adaptation White Paper see also the Eurosite network response to the EC Green Paper 'Adapting to Climate Change in Europe - Options for EU Action'.

Development stages and reports of Member State 'National Adaptation Strategies'.

EC DG Environment 'Living with climate change in Europe'.