ATHENS, Nov. 18-- Transportation infrastructure tends to be at risk due to both incremental climate change and extreme weather events, experts pointed out during an international conference held on Monday in Athens. The two-day international conference, entitled "Raising awareness on adaptation of transport infrastructure to climate change impacts" , was jointly hosted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Hellenic Logistics Association. It brought together researchers and experts from the UN, the European Union (EU), and the World Meteorological Organization. Experts warned that extreme weather events are increasing in intensity and frequency, while slower ones such as the rise in sea level are continuing. Their combination can damage transportation infrastructure and disrupt supply chains. "The problem with the infrastructure and climate change shows us that we have critical threats that we have to cope with as countries, businesses, and scientific communities," Nicholas Rodopoulos, president of the Hellenic Logistics Association, told Xinhua. According to the UN findings, large areas of southern Europe are projected to have an increase of 40 to 50 very hot days per year, with significant parts of Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, and Turkey being projected to have as many as 50 to 60 more very hot days per year. It is estimated that seaports in Greece, the United Kingdom, and Denmark will be affected by 2080, when the number of seaports in EU countries facing inundation risks is expected to increase by 50 percent relative to 2030. |