Copenhagen  - European countries were Monday urged to step up cooperation and information exchange over threats linked to climate change such as floods, droughts and loss of biodiversity.

Vulnerable areas in Europe include coastal zones, mountainous regions, the Mediterranean and the Arctic, a new report said.

"This report makes strikingly clear that many regions and sectors across Europe are vulnerable to climate change impacts," Jacqueline McGlade, executive director of the Copenhagen-based European Environment Agency (EEA), one of the contributing agencies, said.

The report, Impacts of Europe's changing climate, noted that while the global average temperature has increased almost 0.8 degrees Centigrade above pre-industrial levels, in Europe and northern latitudes the increase was "even higher."

Precipitation patterns indicated "a wet northern part of Europe and a dry south" and global satellite observations suggested global sea levels has increased up to 3.1 millimetres a year in the past 15 years, the report said.

Arctic sea ice was also reducing, posing a threat to species like seals, whales and polar bears.

Another effect was that "plants, birds, insects and mammals are moving further north and uphill" and a longer "agricultural growing season." This could contribute to new crops being introduced but extreme weather conditions were also likely, the report said.

Other findings suggested that forest fires will increase in dryer, southern Europe as well as health effects caused by "heat-waves, floods and droughts, worsening air pollution and changes in vectors and plant distribution."

Among the measures suggested was creating a "European clearing house on climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation."

The EEA groups 32 states, including the current 27 European Union members.

The full report, compiled by the EEA, the World Health Organization's regional office for Europe and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission is available on www. eea. europa. eu (dpa)