The Northeast Climate Impacts Assessment (NECIA) is a collaboration between the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) and a team of independent experts.
Counted as nation the Northeast represents the world’s seventh largest source of CO2 emmisions. On the other hand a stronger climate change is expected in northern states.
The report compares ‘business as usual’ approaches with low emmision strategies, lists possible consequences and opportunities.
Quoted from the executiv summary:
The pulse of life and economic activity across the Northeast is marked by the regions dramatic seasonal cycle, changeable weather, and extreme events such as floods and noreasters. This familiar climate is already changing in noticeable ways.
Temperatures have been rising, particularly in winter, and the number of extremely hot days in summer has been increasing. Snow cover is decreasing and spring is arriving earlier in the year. Recent changes in our climate in the Northeast are consistent with those expected due to increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere. These gases are released by the burning of fossil fuels and other human activities.
This study draws on recent advances in climate modeling to assess how global warming may further affect the Northeasts climate. Using projections from three state-of-the-art global climate models, we compare the types and magnitude of climate changes that will result from higher emissions of heat-trapping gases versus lower emissions.
The first scenario is a future where people individuals, communities, businesses, states, and nationsallow emissions to continue growing rapidly, and the second is one in which society transitions onto a pathway of economic development with substantially lower emissions.
Full report (52 pages), Summary (8 pages) , Factsheet (2 pages)
Visit also: Climate Choices
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