Baltics may benefit from global warming

Nov 27, 2009
Oskars Magone

The global challenge of climate change could lead to economic benefit for northern european countries.

BRUSSELS - A European Union research project has found that the Baltics, along with some other northern european countries, may actually benefit from climate change this century.

The European Commission's Joint Research Centrepublished a study on Nov. 25 estimating that climate change would cost the bloc as a whole something on the order of €20 and €65 billion if the estimated temperature increase were to take place today.

"Damages would occur mainly in Southern and Central Europe, while Northern Europe would be the sole region to benefit, in economic terms and for the aspects studied, from climate change," a JRC press release said.

The study predicted a temperature increase of between 2.5°C and 5.4°C by the 2080s. It predicts an increase in the sea level of between 48 and 88 cm.

The cost would mainly stem from the agricultural sector and from flooding and coastal erosion, the report said.

The report also warned, however, that there are many variables involved and the actual temperature increase could differ significantly from the estimate used in the study.

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