US report: climate changing here now
Climate change is already happening, says a new federal study, and its impacts are visible throughout the United States - even here in Maryland. The changes pose threats to crop and livestock farming, to property and to human health, the study warns.
The report, drawing on experts from 13 federal science agencies, universities and research institutes, concludes that insect infestations and wildfires already are increasing as a result of climate-enhanced droughts. Annual average temperatures in the Northeast have increased by 2 degrees Fahrenheit since 1970, with winter temps rising twice that much.
The report projects more frequent and intense heat waves, affecting every aspect of commerce from farming to energy use and transportation. It also forecasts heavier rainstorms and flooding in some parts of the country, with worse droughts and water shortages in others.
In coastal areas like Maryland's, sea level is expected to rise more than previously predicted, bringing more frequent and severe flooding and more storm damage. Donald C. Boesch, president of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and one of the study's authors, said the Chesapeake Bay's "dead zones" could worsen as climate changes, and low-lying islands and coastal areas could be inundated by rising sea level.
Warming temperatures already are causing noticeable shifts in plants and animal migrations, said Anthony C. Janetos, director of the global change research institute at the University of Maryland and another author.
"We’re getting weed species that actually respond both to the fact that it’s getting warmer in the United States, but also to the extra carbon dioxide in the atmosphere," Janetos said. "Everything from common agricultural weeds to poison ivy and kudzu."
Though many of the findings have been reported piecemeal before, officials and experts say the study represents the most up-to-date and comprehensive assessment of how climate is affecting the nation and how it may in the future, depending on how rapidly greenhouse gas emissions keep increasing.
It also has political import, as Congress is debating legislation now to curb greenhouse gas emissions. A bill is expected to be voted soon in the House, and Senate leaders have vowed to act by fall.
To view the federal report and background, go here.
To see an earlier, similar report focusing on climate impacts on Maryland, go here.
