Chapter 8 Europe Booknotes Europe was a place of two world wars followed by the Cold War 1945 1990 which divided the continent and the world into two hostile and highly armed camps the US and Europe against the former Soviet Union Russia and its allies European Union supranational organization consisting of 27 countries setting aside nationalistic pride and working toward the regional economic political and cultural integration Four factors explaining environmental diversity Complex geology of western extension of the Eurasian land mass has the newest as well as the oldest landscapes in the world Europe s latitudinal extent from the Arctic to the Mediterranean subtropics affects climate vegetation and many human activities Latitudinal control is modified by the moderating influences of the Atlantic Ocean as well as the Baltic Mediterranean and Black Seas Long History of Human Settlement has transformed and modified Europe s natural landscapes in fundamental ways over thousands of years 4 general topographic and landform regions European Lowlands Alpine mountains Central Uplands Western Highlands European Lowlands North European Plain Netherlands Germany Denmark Poland High population density intensive agriculture large cities and major industrial regions potential people below 500 feet elevation major rivers flow through Rhine Loire Thames Elbe Europe ports located on lowlands London Le Havre Rotterdam Hamburg glacial meltwater created infertile outwash plains that have limited agricultural Alpine Mountain System topographic spine of Europe East to west from Atlantic to the black sea Several names but were created within 20 million years Pyrenees form political boarder between Spain and France home to Basque Alps center of Europe s geologic system highest in the West historically formed an important cultural divide between the mediterranean lands to the south and central and western Europe in the north Apennine Mts connected to the Alps explosive volcano Mt Vesuvius and the much higher Mt Etna on the island of Sicily Central Uplands occupies arc between alps and european low land in France and Germany Important because it contains the raw materials for Europe s industrial areas Iron and Coal Western Highlands Europe s oldest mountains formed 300 million years ago define western edge of the European subcontinent FJORDS flooded valley plains Fenno Scandian Shield of Sweden and Finland is note worthy because it is made up of some of the oldest rock formations in the world has heavily glaciated areas 3 principle climates Maritime climate dominates modified by oceanic influences Continental Climates inland hotter summers and colder winters Mediterranean climate southern dry summers causes pressure that inhibits summer rainfall technology seasonal drought problematic for agriculture irrigation most important climate control is the Atlantic Ocean mild north atlantic current moderates coastal temperatures giving Europe climate 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit water than comparable latitudes Marine West Coast Climate Ireland and Emerald Coast no winter months average below freezing summers often cloudy With increasing distance from the ocean land mass heating and cooling becomes a strong climatic control producing hotter summers and colder winters average at least one month below Freezing Land locked countries have access to the ocean through interconnectedness of rivers 4 major seas Baltic North Mediterranean Black North sea historical fishing now known for oil and natural gas fields Narrowest point of the English Channel is the Dover Straits only 20 miles wide Straight of Gibraltar btw Europe and Africa Straight of Bosphorus and Dardanelles connect Mediterranean with the black sea controlled by Turkey often thought of as a physical boundary between Europe and Asia Danube is Europe s longest river flows east and south Major ports are on the mouths of most western rivers Seas Rivers and Ports Environmental Issues Climate Change in Europe solution rarely stays between political boundaries European Union has taken lead in addressing the regions environmental issues result Europe is one of the greenest of the major world regions the period of the soviet union left MAJOR environmental issues because of their short term planning and concern with quick output threats of melting snow and glaciers as well as warming summers from global warming has caused Europe to become one of the world leaders addressing Global warming Europe an Kyoto Protocol EU set collective goal of an 8 reduction below 1990 GHG emission levels fell short with reduction close to only 1 BUT England and Germany 2 major industrial powers reduced emissions by 10 reduced coal usage increased energy generation from with and solar power EU grew from 15 states in 1997 to current 27 states Under Kyoto Protocol inaugurated the world s largest carbon trading scheme in 2005 as a major pillar of its global warming policy yearly emission caps were set goal of the cap and trade system is to make business more expensive for those who pollute rewarding those who stay under their carbon quota Because they didn t reach goal promised new target of 20 reduction by 2020 Population and Settlement Low or no Natural Growth population growth death rate exceeds the birth rate several countries experiences negative only reason population is stable or increasing is because of in migration Europe is reason that demographers added 5th post industrial stage to demographic transition attempts to raise population growth rates include attempts to ban abortion and the sale of contraceptives and family friendly policies Iceland and Ireland roman catholic states have total fertility rates at the replacement level 2 1 Migration within Europe Schengen Agreement declaration of intent of a border free Europe signed in 1985 not all EU members were signers of this document nor is it restricted to just EU states recently become controversial because there is no way of keeping illegal immigrants from moving around everywhere International Migration to Europe looked to foreign migrant workers to ease labor shortages during post war rebuild immigrants formed ethnic neighborhoods in large cities throughout Europe foreigners comprise 8 of the populations of Germany France and England Now does not need immigrants aggravates high domestic unemployment rates as immigrants work for lower wages Spain and Italy are vulnerable to sea born immigrants EU has provided funds to strengthen