%0 book
%@ 

%D 2016
%J 
%N 
%P  
%R doi:10.1007/978-3-319-39745-0
%T North Sea Region Climate Change Assessment
%U https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39745-0
 
%X Climate change impacts show wide regional variability; their strength, nature and evolution depending on the principal features of the area in which they are occurring. To cope,responsibly with its impacts, decision-makers and authorities need sound information on the specifics of climate change in their region. The science community would also benefit from a comprehensive analysis of the state-of-knowledge on regional climate change and its effects.,The North Sea region is a precious natural and cultural environment and a major economic entity within Europe. The North Sea is one of the world’s richest fishing grounds as well as being one of the busiest seas with respect to marine traffic and its related infrastructure, oil and gas extraction is also of high economic value. More recently the area has become a major site for wind energy, with many large offshore wind farms. Climate change impacts are expected,to have profound effects on North Sea ecosystems and economic development. Despite its importance, until now a comprehensive analysis of climate change and its impacts for the,region as a whole had not been attempted. Some nationally-focused studies with an emphasis on climate change projections have been published in recent years, such as the UK Climate Projections—Marine and Coastal Projections and the KNMI’14 Climate Scenarios for The,Netherlands to name but two examples,1 and these have all been considered in the present,study.