Kapitel: 3.2.8 Hochwasser und Dürre

Global change and extreme hydrological conditions – Floods and droughts:

Floods and droughts are natural phenomena which have become more abundant and more destructive than ever in many regions of the globe. Increasing levels of exposure and insufficient adaptive capacity are among the factors responsible for the rising vulnerability.

The climatic mechanisms influencing hydrological extremes, observed in some areas and expected in future, are: increase in temperature, decrease in snow cover and ice jams, rising precipitation intensities and in some areas a decrease in summer precipitation.  A complex interrelationship between the socio-economic domain, human impact on terrestrial systems and adverse effects of climate change are likely to increase the future risk of floods and droughts.