Climate change is occurring globally and affecting Greece. Average temperatures in Greece have increased by 0.4-0.6°C per decade since 1961-1990, with the largest increases observed in summer temperatures. Models project further warming of 7-10°C in Greece by 2100 under high emissions scenarios. This additional warming would exacerbate heat waves which have already increased in intensity and frequency. Related effects include altered precipitation patterns, rising sea levels, and increased risks of wildfires and natural disasters like flooding. Climate change poses serious challenges for agriculture, natural ecosystems, and communities throughout Greece.

1. CLIMATE CHANGE!

2. What is climate change?
Climate change is a
change in the pattern
of weather, and related
changes in oceans, land
surfaces and ice sheets,
occurring over time
scales of decades or
longer

4. The consequences of changing the natural atmospheric
greenhouse are difficult to predict, but certain effects seem
likely:
• On average, Earth will become
warmer. Some regions may
welcome warmer temperatures,
but others may not.
• Warmer conditions will probably
lead to more evaporation and
precipitation overall, but
individual regions will vary, some
becoming wetter and others dryer.

5. • A stronger greenhouse effect will warm
the oceans and partially melt glaciers and
other ice, increasing sea level. Ocean
water also will expand if it warms,
contributing further to sea level rise.
• Meanwhile, some crops and other plants
may respond favorably to increased
atmospheric CO2, growing more
vigorously and using water more
efficiently. At the same time, higher
temperatures and shifting climate
patterns may change the areas where
crops grow best and affect the makeup of
natural plant communities.

6. THE ROLE OF HUMAN ACTIVITY
• In its Fifth Assessment Report, the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a
group of 1,300 independent scientific experts from
countries all over the world under the auspices of
the United Nations, concluded there's a more than
95 percent probability that human activities over
the past 50 years have warmed our planet.
• The industrial activities that our modern
civilization depends upon have raised atmospheric
carbon dioxide levels from 280 parts per million to
400 parts per million in the last 150 years. The
panel also concluded there's a better than 95
percent probability that human-produced
greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane
and nitrous oxide have caused much of the
observed increase in Earth's temperatures over the
past 50 years.
Αυτή η φωτογραφία από Άγνωστος συντάκτης με άδεια χρήσης CC BY-NC-ND

8. Climate change Greece
Air temperature changes until now
Annual temperature over the period
1961–1990 showed a trend of
statistically significant warming
over land in south-east Europe of
approximately 0.4–0.6 °C per
decade. In the middle of the ’50s a
cooling period started in northern
Greece and progressively extended
also in the southern regions of the
country where it started to be
detected in the beginning of the’70s.

9. •The lowest average annual temperatures in
Greece occurred in the decade of 1970 up to the
beginning of 1980, due mainly to the very cold
summers and autumns. However, during the
last years of the ’90s (while a little earlier in
some meteorological stations), a progressive
increase of temperature was observed. …This
seems to be due to a more intensive warming
during the summer period .

11. Air temperature changes in the 21st century
According to climatic
simulations for 2100, in the case
of the IPCC Α2 scenario (up to
250% more greenhouse gas
emissions in 2100 compared
with 1961-1990), the mean
maximum temperature over the
entire Eastern Mediterranean is
projected to increase. In July the
mean maximum temperature in
the Balkan countries is projected
to increase by up to 12⁰C
compared to current values.
Αυτή η φωτογραφία από Άγνωστος συντάκτης με άδεια χρήσης CC BY-NC

12. In Greece, the increase
is in the order of 7-8⁰C
in southern regions
(including the area of
Athens), while in
central and northern
Greece the increase is
higher and varies
between 8 and 10⁰C. In
June and September
the increase of the
maximum temperature
is slightly lower,
varying from 6 up to
8⁰C in Greece.
Αυτή η φωτογραφία από Άγνωστος συντάκτης με άδεια χρήσης CC BY-NC-ND

14. • In Greece, as it was also the case of
Spain, the frequency of heat waves in
the ’90s was about three times higher
than the one of the three previous
decades. However, there are no signs
of a similar reverse trend in the
frequency of cold extremes. The data
from both stations of Athens and
Corfu present statistical important
increasing trends with respect to the
duration of heat waves, during the
summer period as well as on annual
basis, while the occurrence of cooling
waves during winter as well as on
annual basis becomes much less
frequent.
Αυτή η φωτογραφία από Άγνωστος συντάκτης με άδεια χρήσης CC BY-NC-ND

15. •The time series from the other stations do not show a
certain trend or they show negative trends with respect to
the duration of heat waves.
•In the eastern Mediterranean, the intensity, length and
number of heat waves have increased by a factor of six to
eight since the 1960s.

17. CLIMATIC CHANGES IN GREECE
• The issue of climate change can be seen as one of the most burning issues
in the world. However, in Greece, it is easy to understand that the whole
planet is affected, and our country is no exception.

18. SOME CLIMATIC CHANGES THAT TOOK PLACE
IN GREECE
Last Christmas, in the "heart" of the winter season the sunshine was intense (even for
the Greek data), accompanied by very high temperatures.
Because of the high temperatures we have an increase in fires in the summer. The truth
is that global warming does not cause fires. However it aggravates the conditions and
increases the risk of fire.
Αυτή η φωτογραφία από Άγνωστος συντάκτης με άδεια χρήσης CC BY
Αυτή η φωτογραφία από Άγνωστος συντάκτης με άδεια χρήσης CC BY

20. In recent
years, many tornadoes have
been observed, a rare
phenomenon for Greece:
strong rainfall throughout
the year causes serious
disasters in crops and
private properties.

22. Climate changes observed in our area
Floods in Magoula

23. Droughts

24. Made by Gymnasio-L.T.
Magoulas Karditsas