AMERICANS ARE IGNORANT IN VIEWS ON CLIMATE CHANGE

12 FINDINGS OF National Climate Assessment Report May 2014

# 1 Global climate is changing = Apparent across the US in observations. = Past 50 years is primarily due to burning of fossil fuels. = US average temp increased by 1.3°F to 1.9°F in last 130 years = Mostly since 1970. = Most recent decade was the warmest on record.

: Dept. of Transportation photo of the Enbridge pipeline that ruptured in 2010.

# 2 Climate events have increased in recent decades = Increase in # and strength of extreme weather events. Last 50 years US has seen prolonged periods of excessively high temperatures, heavy downpours, and severe droughts.

# 3 Climate change is projected accelerate significantly if global emissions of heat-trapping gases (CO2 + METHANE + Other) continue to increase.

# 4 Impacts and harms of climate change will become more disruptive across US through 2100. Children, the elderly, the sick, and the poor are especially vulnerable.

# 5 Climate change threatens human health and well-being in many ways = Extreme weather events + Wildfires + Decreased air quality + Diseases transmitted by insects + food and water shortages + Heat stress + Respiratory stress (poor air quality) + waterborne diseases = Probable fatalities

# 6 Infrastructure damage = Sea level rise + Heavy downpours + Extreme heat + Storm surges = Especially in coastal areas = Roads + Buildings + Industrial facilities + Ports + Coastal military installations + Flooding along rivers, lakes, and in cities = Caused by Rapid melting snowpack

flooding-rains-increase-due-to-climate-change

“We looked at how greenhouse gas emissions affected the odds of a flood, we found that the emissions substantially increased the odds of a flood occurring, with about a doubling of the likelihood.”

# 7 Water quality and water supply reliability = Jeopardized by climate change =
Surface and groundwater supplies in some regions are already stressed by increasing demand for water as well as declining runoff and groundwater recharge. Water quality is diminishing due to increasing sediment and contaminant concentrations

# 8 Climate disruptions to agriculture = Increasing and becoming more severe over this century. = Some areas increasingly suffer from stresses due to extreme heat, drought, disease, and heavy downpours.

Coast Guard flyover of Long Island post Hurricane Sandy.

# 9 Climate change poses particular threats to Indigenous Peoples’ health, well- being, and ways of life. = Chronic stresses from extreme poverty are exacerbated by climate change = Reduced access to traditional foods + Decreased water quality + Health and safety hazards in Coastal locations = Erosion and inundation = In Alaska rapid pace of temperature rise + Ice and snow melt + Permafrost thaw = Significantly affect infrastructure and traditional livelihoods.

# 10 Capacity of ecosystems to buffer the impacts of extreme events like fires, floods, and severe storms is being overwhelmed. = Biodiversity dropping + Timing of spring bud burst + Species extinction. = Social, cultural, and economic effects. Ecosystems = Forests + Barrier beaches + Wetlands = Reduced ability to minimize damages to infrastructure + Human communities

# 11 Ocean waters = Warmer + More acidic = IMPACT on ocean circulation + Marine life+ Formation of shells + Coral reefs. + Productivity of many marine species + Harm fishing + More coastal and marine pollution + Alter marine-based food production

# 12 Plan = Cut emissions must increase to avoid negative social, environmental, and economic consequences. = Increase carbon uptake + Adapt to a changing climate + Increase resilience to impacts that are unavoidable = To protect humans and their ways of life.

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