ABSTRACT
A warmer climate, with its increased climate variability, will increase the risk of floods (Parry et al. 2007). Indeed, a warmer climate will increase evaporation and the intensity of water cycling, and a warmer atmosphere can hold more water vapour and has a higher energy potential. As a consequence, rainfall should be more intense, and extreme events should be more frequent (Kundzewick and Schellnhuber 2004). Such changes are not far future projections. Climate modification has already been observed: the frequency of great floods has increased during the twentieth century (Milly et al. 2002).
