Impact of climate and climate variations on European resources

Abstract

In establishing the content of the Climatology Research Programme of the Commission of the European Communities, it was decided that the impact of climate and climatic variations on society should be an integrated part of the research activities. Although it was recognized that this part is quite different from the study of climate itself (reconstruction of past climate, climate modelling and the sensitivity of climate to anthropogenic influences), in order to cover the field of climatology as completely as possible, impact studies had to be included. Additional considerations were: 1. the need for such studies in view of future practical applications and 2. the possible advantage of having such studies performed in close collaboration and contact with the study of climate itself.