WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–The Obama administration on Tuesday, May 6, released the third U.S. National Climate Assessment, a comprehensive report on climate change and how it will affect the country and economy.
The report, which summarizes effects of climate change on the United States, was compiled by a team of more than 300 experts. According to the White House, the report was reviewed by a wide range of stakeholders including the National Academy of Sciences.
“The conclusions in this report echo those of other studies: climate change is real and the effects we see today will only accelerate if we don’t take action,” said Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). “There is no silver bullet to combat climate change. We have to reduce our carbon footprint by limiting greenhouse gas pollution, adopting energy efficient technologies and developing renewable energy resources.
“If we don’t take bold action, climate change will affect almost every aspect of life for Californians,” Feinstein continued. “The report warns that California will face hotter and drier conditions that will lead to increased drought and wildfires. These effects, combined with already scarce water resources, hold dire implications for the state. We are likely to witness more extreme weather events and higher sea levels that will lead to storm surges, inland flooding, landslides and loss of fresh water supplies due to sea water intrusion.”
Key takeaways from the report for California:
•Water scarcity: Surface and groundwater resources in California are already stressed by the ongoing drought. Climate change is expected to intensify droughts, reduce snowpack, introduce saltwater into California’s coastal aquifers and exacerbate water demands. As a result, the risk to water supplies in many counties will increase from high to extreme.
•Agriculture: Climate change will lead to major challenges for agriculture, with higher average temperatures, moisture imbalances, irrigation water scarcity, insect outbreaks and heat intensity. California currently produces 95 percent of domestic apricots, almonds, artichokes, figs, kiwis, raisins, olives, cling peaches and many other high-value crops with high water content. Climate change could displace the farming industry, resulting in serious implications for the California’s economy.
•Wildfire: The report warns that climate change will increase the intensity of wildfires that could lead to a 74 percent increase in surface area burned in California. Northern California could experience twice as much surface area burned by the end of the century under the high-emissions scenario.
•Flooding: Currently, an estimated 260,000 Californians are exposed to the risk of a once-in-a-century coastal flood. Sea levels have already risen approximately seven inches in the last century and is expected to rise at an even higher rate this century. If sea levels rise by three feet, as projected, the number of Californians at risk from flooding could increase to 480,000. More intense storms will further increase flooding risks from inland runoff.
•Social vulnerability: Some groups of people are less able to prepare for and recover from natural disasters because of their socioeconomic status. These vulnerable populations make up almost one-fifth of individuals exposed to high flood risks.
•Ecology: Valuable coastal wetlands—especially the San Francisco Bay and San Joaquin/Sacramento River Delta—are increasingly jeopardized by rising temperatures, erosion, flooding, and changes in salinity caused by higher sea levels.
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Among other Jewish members of the Senate and House of Representatives who are tracked by San Diego Jewish World, there were these comments:
U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colorado) called on Congress to heed the warnings of the National Climate Assessment y and to begin work together on solutions to mitigate the effects climate change is already having on the United States.
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“Coloradans can’t wait for Washington to get out of its own way to address the damaging effects of climate change. Our economy is already feeling the effects – whether it’s a shorter ski season, the constant threat of wildfire, a multi-year drought, or a fundamental risk to our $40 billion dollar agriculture industry.
“The National Climate Assessment makes a clear point that the time to act is now. We take for granted our access to clean air and clean water, but those precious resources will dwindle if we continue to let politics stand in the way. It’s time for Congress to accept facts for facts and begin to work together on solutions to reduce carbon pollution and preserve our environment for our kids and grandkids.”
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U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (Independent-Vermont),called for Congress to act on proposals to curb greenhouse gas emissions after a major new report today warned that global warming could exceed 10 degrees Fahrenheit in the United States by the end of this century.
“This important report is another loud and clear warning that greenhouse gases are rising faster than ever and our refusal to recognize and deal with the crisis could have catastrophic consequences,” said Sanders, a member of the Senate energy and environment committees.
“It is no longer acceptable for a majority in Congress to ignore the overwhelming scientific evidence. It is no longer acceptable that coal and oil companies spend millions of dollars to defeat efforts to protect the planet,” Sanders added.
The National Climate Assessment report by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was adopted Tuesday, May 5, during a meeting at the White House. The report said it is still possible to save the planet but much more must be done much sooner to curb the carbon and methane emissions that cause climate change.
Sanders has proposed a bill to put a fee on carbon and methane emissions. The measure is cosponsored by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. He said their measure would help create millions of jobs in a transformation of our energy system away from fossil fuel and into energy efficiency and sustainable energy sources such as wind, solar, geothermal and biomass.
Another Sanders bill would end tax breaks and subsidies for oil and coal companies. A companion measure in the House is sponsored by Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.).
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Congressman Henry Waxman, D-California, said: ““The National Climate Assessment shows that climate change is real, it’s happening now, and the impacts will be severe if we don’t act. We are at a crossroads. We can protect our environment by investing in the clean energy economy of the future, or we can deny the science and watch our coastlines flood, our forests burn, and our crops wither. The special interests led by the Koch brothers and the fossil fuel industry have blocked action in Congress. That’s why the President needs to use his administrative authority to cut the dangerous carbon pollution that is endangering the future of our children and grandchildren.”
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Senator Ron Wyden, D-Oregon: “Today’s report adds to the ever-growing body of scientific evidence and on-the-ground proof that the effects of climate change are already being felt in every region of the United States,” Wyden said.
“This assessment confirms what the people of the Pacific Northwest already know – that sea levels are rising, wildfires are getting worse and water supplies are diminishing – hitting right at the heart of the local economy in Oregon and elsewhere. It also confirms that these effects will continue to get worse if strong actions are not taken immediately to curb emissions of greenhouse gases and move toward a low-carbon economy.”
Read the full National Climate Assessment here.
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Preceding provided by Senators Feinstein, Sanders and Wyden, and Congressman Waxman.
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My daughter and her husband are Ph.D. climate scientists who work with the IPCC scientists and National Academies of Sciences internationally, so the latest IPCC reports and the National Climate Assessment, featured in your May 6th article, came as no surprise to me.
One thing that might come as a surprise to many is the fact that we have at least 40 years of worsening climate change on the way, even if we could stop burning fossil fuels tomorrow. It takes CO2 emissions about four decades to heat up and effect us, and they won’t dissipate for centuries. Things are going to get much, much worse and they are going to stay that way.
We now have less than 15 years to make 40-70% cuts in CO2 emissions or climate change becomes “catastrophic,” according to the IPCC reports. To have any hope of meeting that goal, we will need a revenue-neutral carbon tax, and soon. Fossil fuels pay the tax to consumers, not the government. Consumers buy solar and wind energy which the tax makes cheaper than oil, coal and gas. Solar and wind scale up and become cheaper than fossil fuels are now. Eight Nobel economists support this. The IEA says five years of delay will cost $5 trillion more. See the Citizens Climate Lobby website and get involved, or at least contact Congress. Time is running our for our children and grandchildren.