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Manhattan floods, Chicago heatwaves and withering Californian vines: how scientists see the US in 75 years
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| Parent(s) |
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| Contributor | kal |
| Last Edited | kal Jun 17, 2009 06:23am |
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| Category | Speculative |
| Author | Suzanne Goldenberg |
| Media | Newspaper - Guardian |
| News Date | Wednesday, June 17, 2009 12:00:00 PM UTC0:0 |
| Description | The Obama administration's long-awaited scientific report on the sweeping and life-altering consequences of a failure to act on global warming – Global climate change impacts in the United States – is released today.
It provides the most detailed picture to date of the impacts on the US in the worst case scenarios, when no action is taken to cut emissions. Examples include: floods in lower Manhattan; a quadrupling of heatwave deaths in Chicago; withering on the vineyards of California; the disappearance of wildflowers from the slopes of the Rockies; the extinction of Alaska's wild polar bears in the next 75 years.
What lies ahead by region
North-east
The winter snow season could be cut in half in southern New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine — maybe as short as a week or two, under the higher emissions scenario. This would destroy winter traditions like skiing and skating and outdoor ponds. Native cranberries and blueberries would disappear; dairy herds, the biggest agricultural industry, would decline under the higher emissions scenario.
South-east
Summer temperatures in Florida could rise by 4.1C (10.5F), with the heat effect multipled by decreased rainfall under the higher emissions scenario. There would be increased hurricane intensity and rising sea levels leads to loss of wetlands and coastal areas. It would lead to a severe decline in quality of life.
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