Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book discusses the climate system, where detection and interpretation of changes and the impacts of change raise considerable controversies. It presents a re-insurer’s view point on changing flood risk and illustrates changes in high precipitation and streamflow, in exposure to floods, and in counts of major floods in Europe. River flow is an integrated result of multiple natural factors, such as precipitation, catchment storage and evaporation loss, as well as watershed management practices and river engineering that alters the river conveyance system over time. Floods have become more abundant and more destructive than ever in many regions of the globe, including Europe. The immediate question emerges as to the extent to which an increase of flood hazard and risk can be linked to climate variability and climate change.