Global warming in Germany Structure • Consequences in Germany • Consequences on Human • Opportunities • Future effects of global warming - negative - positive
Consequences in Germany Nature • In summer declining groundwater levels • Higher risk of forest fires • Greater risk of flooding in the rainy fall (e.g. along the Elbe River) • Heating of coastal regions about 0.9 degrees till 2031-2050 • Warming of many mountain regions around 1.3 to 1.5 degrees • Decrease of precipitation about an average of 4%
Flooding along the Elbe River
Consequences on Human • People suffer all together from more extreme heat days • Increase in heat-related illnesses (especially southern Germany) • Risk to the cooling systems of nuclear power plants in the summer (also especially southern Germany)
Opportunities for Germany • More productive grape harvest in southern Germany • Fewer cold-related illnesses • Tourism boom in Germany, especially along the coast Agriculture • Cultivate more hard wheat, soy beans, wine and maize in many places better conditions → Agriculture also profits by rising carbon dioxide concentration → Gas is raw material for every plant growth
Effects of global warming (Future ) Negative • There will be - longer and more intensive Heat waves, - high air temperature and - extreme temperature fluctuations • Destruction of infrastructure by extreme weather events ( buildings, roads…) • Moving habitats of plants and animals Positive • Mild Winters → less need to heat energy → promotes cultivation of agriculture crops