Theor. Appl. Climatol. (2008) 93: 117–132 DOI 10.1007/s00704-007-0327-z Printed in The Netherlands 1 Research Centre for Agricultural and Forest Environment, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan ´, Poland 2 Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, Athens, Greece 3 Institute of Geography, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland 4 Institute of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Analysis, Lund University, Lund, Sweden 5 Department of Physical Geography and Quaternary Geology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden 6 Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (UEA), Norwich, UK 7 Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Potsdam, Germany 8 Meteodata GmbH, Zurich, Switzerland Impacts of climate extremes on activity sectors – stakeholders’ perspective Z. W. Kundzewicz 1;7 , C. Giannakopoulos 2 , M. Schwarb 3;8 , I. Stjernquist 4 , P. Schlyter 5 , M. Szwed 1 , J. Palutikof 6;9 Received 14 March 2006; Accepted 18 April 2007; Published online 18 October 2007 # Springer-Verlag 2007 Summary Significant changes in the climatic system have been ob- served, which may be attributed to human-enhanced green- house effect. Even stronger changes are projected for the future, impacting in an increasing way on human activity sectors. The present contribution, prepared in the frame- work of the MICE (Modelling the Impact of Climate Extremes) Project of the European Union, reviews how climate change may impact on winter tourism in the Alpine region, intense precipitation and flood potential in central Europe, forest damage in Scandinavia and beach holidays in the Mediterranean coast. Impacts are likely to be serious and largely adverse. Due to a lack of adequate information and lack of broadly accepted and reliable mathematical models describing the impact of changes in climate ex- tremes on these activity sectors, it has been found useful to use expert judgement based impact assessment. Accord- ingly, regional mini-workshops were organized serving as platforms for communication between scientists and stakeholders, vehicles for dissemination of the state-of-the- art of the scientific understanding and for learning stakeholders’ view on extreme events, their impacts and the preparedness system. Stakeholders had the opportunity to react to the scientific results and to reflect on their perception of the likely impacts of projected changes in extremes on relevant activity sectors and the potential to adapt and avert adverse consequences. The results reported in this paper present the stakeholders’ suggestions for es- sential information on different extreme event impacts and their needs from science. 1. Introduction Significant changes in a number of variables in the climatic system have been observed, which may be attributed to anthropogenically-induced global warming. They have impacted natural sys- tems and human activities in a substantial way. Even larger climate changes are projected for the future and the corresponding impacts are very likely to be even stronger. Climatic changes may occur both in mean values and in extremes, but changes in the extremes are likely to be more important from the impact viewpoint. Notwith- standing the fact that the climate models are 9 At present: IPCC Technical Support Unit, Met Office, Exeter, UK Correspondence: Z. W. Kundzewicz, Research Centre for Agri- cultural and Forest Environment, Polish Academy of Sciences, Bukowska 19, 60-809 Poznan ´, Poland, e-mail: kundzewicz@ yahoo.com