"We have to take this threat seriously and stop climate pollution in order to protect people and their properties form devastating storms."

In a report analysing recent weather patterns in seven European countries and research on global warming, the WWF concluded that the north Atlantic Ocean and North Sea was becoming more stormy.

The report predicted nearly 10 more severe winter storms over a 30-year period with more intense winds in Britain -- a 25 percent increase -- if there is no change in global warming and current energy consumption patterns.

The Netherlands would be the next hardest hit, according to WWF, with even greater increases in top wind speeds of about 15 percent, while parts of France would suffer with about 10 to 20 percent more storms, it added.

Baltic Sea areas around Poland could experience an increase of more than a quarter in the number of days with high winds, according to the report entitled "Stormy Europe".

Insurance industry data indicates growing financial losses caused by storm damage in the affected countries, and WWF said that trend was likely to grow.

The organisation laid the blame for the storm patterns on carbon dioxide emissions caused by burning fossil fuels such as coal or oil, noting that the power industry was the biggest single polluter globally.

It called on European countries to cut emissions caused by outdated coal fired power stations over the next 20 years and to switch to cleaner fuels for electricity generation.

The countries examined in the report were Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Italy.

Related Links
WWF International's global climate change programme