In addition to the challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, there is an increasing need to prepare and adapt for the changes in climate and weather that are already locked in.
HELIX has assessed climate change impacts and adaptation at global warming of 1.5, 2, 4 and 6°C. We examined land and coastal impacts and their implications for food, water security, energy security, flooding, infrastructure, ecosystems, health, and human migration. Our results are supported by an assessment of confidence and uncertainty. We projected future changes at global scale and also looked in more detail in three regions: Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa in the Northern Hemisphere, and the north-East Indian sub-continent.
HELIX had two sister projects also funded by the EU to look at high-end scenarios of climate change. RISES-AM http://www.risesam.eu/, completed in 2016, looked at local case-studies of sea-level rise and coastal impacts and adaptation. IMPRESSIONS http://www.impressions-project.eu/ provides further assessment of scenarios of global warming above 2°C including local case studies, with a focus on integrated solutions for adaptation and mitigation.
