1.The impact of climate change on flooding in Poland
Poland is a country prone to flooding, mainly due to its geographical location and river network. Climate change is leading to more intense rainfall and more frequent storm surges, which are the main cause of floods. The effects of flooding are severe – infrastructure, homes, agricultural crops are destroyed and people are forced to leave their homes.
1 **Flood of 2010** – one of the most serious floods in Poland. Intense rainfall caused rivers, especially the Oder and Vistula, to overflow, leading to massive destruction.
The provinces most affected were:
- Małopolskie – Krakow, Tarnów and many smaller towns were largely flooded.
- Śląskie – border areas and towns in the Odra valley were flooded.
- Podkarpackie – the areas affected included Rzeszów and Przemyśl.
2 **Flooding in 2013** – storms in southern and western Poland led to numerous localised floods, especially in Silesia.
The southern provinces of Poland were most affected, especially:
- Małopolskie – especially in the area of Kraków, Tarnów and Nowy Sącz there were numerous floods and flooding of roads.
- Śląskie – in the Upper Silesian Industrial Region there was a lot of flooding, especially in urban areas and along the Oder River.
- Lower Silesia – some towns and cities along the Nysa Kłodzka and Odra rivers were flooded in Lower Silesia.
- Podkarpackie – the San and Wisłoka rivers burst their banks, causing localised flooding near Rzeszów and Mielec.
3. **Powódź w 2020 roku** – w wyniku intensywnych deszczów zalane zostały miasta na południu kraju, w tym Kraków i Zakopane.
Powódź dotknęła głównie południową Polskę, a w szczególności:
- Małopolskę – Kraków, Tarnów i mniejsze miejscowości wzdłuż rzek Dunajec i Raba zmagały się z powodzią, co spowodowało znaczne szkody.
- Podkarpacie – miejscowości takie jak Jasło i Rzeszów były zagrożone przez występujące z brzegów rzeki, zwłaszcza Wisłok.
- Śląskie – intensywne opady doprowadziły do lokalnych podtopień w miastach takich jak Katowice i okolice.
2 The impact of climate change on fires in Greece:
Greece, due to its hot and dry summers, is particularly prone to forest fires. Climate change leads to higher temperatures and longer periods of drought, which increases the risk of fires and extends their season. Forest fires in Greece have devastating consequences – destroying nature, homes, infrastructure and sometimes claiming human lives.
1. the **Fire in 2018 of the village of Mati**.
one of the most tragic fires in Greek history, which killed more than 100 people.
Causes and course of the fire:
The main causes of the fire in Mati are:
- Extreme weather conditions – high temperatures and prolonged drought combined with very strong winds created ideal conditions for the fire to spread rapidly.
- Speed of spread – due to the wind, the fire spread rapidly, leaving little time for Mati residents to evacuate.
- Lack of adequate evacuation routes – the narrow, winding streets and chaotic buildings in Mati made it difficult to evacuate people and for emergency services to pass through.
2 **Fires in 2021** – Record-breaking temperatures and prolonged drought caused massive fires, especially on the island of Evia, where thousands of hectares of forest and homes were destroyed.
Causes of the fires:
The causes of the 2021 fires in Greece were mainly related to extreme weather conditions and climate change:
- Extreme heat – Greece, like many other Mediterranean countries, recorded record high temperatures that dried out vegetation and created ideal conditions for fire spread.
- Strong winds – combined with the heat contributed to the rapid spread of fires.
- Negligence in forest management – prolonged neglect of forest care, including lack of proper litter cleaning, has increased the flammability of forest areas.
3 **Fires in 2023** – further intense fires broke out in the Rhodes region, prompting the evacuation of residents and tourists.
Causes of the fires:
Fires in 2023** – further intense fires broke out in the Rhodes region, prompting the evacuation of residents and tourists.
The main causes of the 2023 fires were similar to those that have been contributing to summer natural disasters in Greece for years:
- Extreme heat – temperatures reached over 45°C, creating extremely dry and flammable conditions.
- Climate change – the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, such as intense heat waves and droughts, significantly increases the risk of fires.
- Winds and uncontrolled vegetation growth – strong winds accelerated the spread of fire, and dense vegetation, which is often left unmanaged, provided fuel for fires.
The work was carried out by:
-Adam Mondroń
-Wiktor Borowiec
-Mikołaj Potrzebowski
