The European Environment Agency (EEA) and the Pyrenees Working Community (CTP) have recently signed an agreement to work together in order to assess climate change impacts in the Pyrenees. According to Jacqueline McGlade, the EEA Executive Director, temperatures are rising faster in mountainous regions, making them particularly vulnerable to climate change.

The European Environment Agency (EEA) and the Pyrenees Working Community (CTP) have signed an agreement to work together to investigate environmental impacts in the Pyrenees. Europe’s mountain regions may suffer some of the most severe impacts of climate change. Increasing temperatures can change snow-cover patterns and lead to water shortages and other problems such as reduced ski tourism. The collaboration aims to provide an overview of the climate change impacts in the region which can help local communities in preparing adaptation strategies for the most vulnerable socio-economic sectors and natural areas.

Additionally, the Pyrenees Climate Change Observatory (OPCC) has been created under the CTP, to monitor and understand climate change in the Pyrenees. It also functions as a permanent platform for exchanging information between scientists, politicians and other actors in the Pyrenees mountain range. Another way of cooperation is the Euroregion Pyrenees-Mediterranea, which hosted recently a workshop during the Open Days 2011, defending this cooperation model. 

According to Jacqueline McGlade, EEA Executive Director, the agreement between the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the Pyrenees Working Community (CTP) will improve EU understanding of this region, helping the local population adapt to continuing climate change. The EEA will offer expertise on data collection, information sharing and structuring and in assessing climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation.

The EEA is planning to publish an update of its 2008 report on climate change impacts in 2012, vulnerability and adaptation in Europe with a specific chapter on mountain regions. The report will provide European, national and sub-national decision-makers with evidence that can help them formulate policies to cope with the impacts of climate change and adapt to its effects.