Climate Changing Already (03/01/2007)

Τετ, 3 Ιανουαρίου 2007 - 12:48
One of Greece’s top environmental scientists has warned that the country has to deal with a series of serious problems caused by global climate change which has already begun to have an impact on the environment. Christos Zerefos, the president of the Athens Observatory, told Kathimerini that changing temperatures and an increasing lack of water are two of the key difficulties that Greece will have to contend with. “The last three months have undoubtedly been especially warm and dry,” said Zerefos. “The rate at which the temperature is increasing and the water cycle is being upset is the highest that we have experienced.” The scientist said the fact that farmers on the Thessaly Plain have to keep drilling deeper into the ground to find water is a sign of things to come. The quality of water could also be affected by climate change as the concentration of pollutants will become higher as water becomes more scarce. Zerefos has prepared a report on how climate change will affect Greece in the future. He presented the study to Parliament earlier this year. “The first set of effects will be felt by agriculture, which will be hurt significantly,” the professor said, highlighting problems such as a drop in the water table. Zerefos also said that Greece’s changing climate will make forest fires more likely. “More dry and hot days, more frequent heat waves, strong wind – all these may lead to an explosive increase in the number of forest fires,” he said. Zerefos spoke to Kathimerini ahead of the publication of research which he was involved in that establishes a link between rainfall in the Mediterranean and atmospheric pressure over the Atlantic. The study suggests that the changes over the Atlantic Ocean are driving more rain toward central and northern Europe and less toward the Mediterranean. Zerefos said that more must be done in Greece to educate the public and make use of natural energy sources. (Kathimerini English Edition, 30/12/06)