Topic: extreme weather

Fact Sheet: 2012, A Year of Record-Breaking Extreme Weather and Climate

Sarah Parsons — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 10:13:20 -0500

Summary

The United States experienced its hottest year on record in 2012.

On a global scale, not only did last year mark the 36th consecutive year the annual global temperature was above average, but each successive decade in the last 50 years has been the warmest on record. Additionally, the recent draft National Climate Assessment states that it is “virtually certain” that global temperatures will continue to warm throughout the remainder of the century, and the longer we delay reducing greenhouse gas emissions the greater the magnitude of warming will occur. In a warmer world, the trend of increasing extreme weather and climate events is expected to continue – 2011 and 2012 each experienced more extreme weather and climate events costing over $1 billion each than any other year in recorded history.

The 8-inch rise in average global sea level over the last century has intensified the impacts of storm surge. This was exemplified during Hurricane Sandy, where record high water levels and abnormally warm ocean temperatures amplified the storm’s impact along the coast of the Northeast United States. State officials in New York and New Jersey estimated aggregate losses of nearly $80 billion from Sandy, shattering the aggregate $55 billion in losses caused by weather and climate disasters in 2011 – a year when a record 14 extreme weather and climate events caused at least $1 billion in losses each.

Download the full fact sheet for more figures relating to temperature, Hurricane Sandy, wildfires, drought, sea level rise, and melting ice.

STATEMENT: WRI Response to the State of the Union

Michael Oko — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 22:01:05 -0500

In his State of the Union address, President Obama presented his priorities for his second term, including addressing the threat of climate change.

New analysis by the World Resources Institute has identified four essential steps the Obama Administration can take to reach its national target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020.

Following is a statement by Andrew Steer, President, World Resources Institute:

“President Obama made it clear that climate change is one of the great challenges of our generation. It’s a national priority that is essential for the country’s economic future and its global competitiveness. He announced that we ‘must do more to combat climate change.’ If the president puts these words into action, citizens of the United States will be better off, as will citizens around the world.

“The President declared that he will direct his Administration to cut pollution, prepare the country for the consequences of climate change, and shift to more sustainable energy– these policies will be good for people and the economy.

“The President also called on Congress to engage on this issue. This is important. While the President can and should act, the cost would be lower and the benefits greater with market-based legislation that would effectively put a price on carbon.

“Analysis by the World Resources Institute shows that the Administration can make significant progress in reducing emissions. It can start by enacting standards for existing power plants, which represent the largest portion of U.S. emissions. The U.S. can also make progress by cutting emissions of hydrofluorocarbons, tackling methane from natural gas systems, and enhancing energy efficiency.

“By reaching its emissions target, the U.S. can signal that it’s serious about tackling climate change at home while enhancing its credibility on the global stage. With more droughts, wildfires, and extreme weather events taking their toll around the globe, the world desperately needs more action. And, it needs the United States to be a leader on climate change.

“The Obama Administration has the tools. Now is the time to use them.”

–

Read an Op-ed by Andrew Steer in the Hill about how the Administration can reduce U.S. emissions.

Read more about WRI’s new report on U.S. emissions, “Can the U.S. Get There From Here?”

ADVISORY: WRI's Stories to Watch 2013

James Anderson — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 14:03:26 -0500

WRI will host its 10th annual Stories to Watch event on Tuesday, January 15, 2013, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Dr. Andrew Steer, WRI’s President & CEO, will present insights into the big environmental and international development trends and events that will affect people and the planet in 2013.

Topics will likely include: What will the Obama Administration do to address climate and energy? How will China’s new leadership advance its goal of “ecological progress”? What countries will emerge on the forefront of sustainability? And, how will financial constraints impact businesses seeking to shift to a more sustainable pathway?

A continental breakfast will be served.

WHAT
World Resources Institute’s Stories to Watch 2013

WHO
Dr. Andrew Steer, President & CEO, World Resources Institute.

Dr. Steer is a leading expert on economic development and environmental issues. He has three decades of experience working on international development and on the front lines in Asia and Africa, and at a senior level in international policy roles.

WHERE
National Press Club
Holeman Lounge
529 14th Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20045

CALL-IN INFO
USA (Toll Free): (866) 803-2143
International (Toll): + 1 (210) 795-1098

Access code: “WRI”

WHEN
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
9:00 - 10:30 a.m. ET

Use #STW2013 on Twitter.

RSVP required to press@wri.org

Impacts of Hurricane Sandy and the Climate Change Connection

Sarah Parsons — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 12:11:57 -0500

Summary

Extreme weather events are on the rise in the United States and globally, with growing and costly disruptions to businesses, people’s livelihoods, and critical infrastructure. Hurricane Sandy is the most recent event to expose the vulnerability of the United States to extreme weather.

This fact sheet highlights the historical magnitude of the storm and estimated losses, plus statements by government officials and leading scientists who view this tragic event as a harbinger of future climate change impacts.

Evidence is mounting that human-induced warming is contributing to increased frequency and intensity of several types of extreme weather events, including heat waves, torrential downpours, and coastal flooding. These trends are expected to continue – with associated damages worsening – in an increasingly warmer world

ADVISORY: Press Teleconference on Doha Climate Talks

Michael Oko — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 17:32:07 -0500

Full audio recording of WRI’s press call below:

With the U.S. elections just completed and the Doha climate talks fast approaching, this is an important moment to consider where progress can be made on international action to address climate change. The recent Hurricane Sandy, along with other extreme weather and climate events, has delivered a powerful wake-up call about the urgency of shifting to a low-carbon trajectory.

Listen to the audio recording of WRI’s press call here:

On Tuesday, November 13, leading experts from the World Resources Institute will participate in a press teleconference to discuss the state of play and key topics in Doha, including how to move forward with an ambitious climate agreement, the role of the U.S. and other countries in the international negotiations, how to accelerate climate finance, and more.

WHAT
Press teleconference on the UNFCCC climate negotiations in Doha, Qatar (COP18)

WHO
Dr. Andrew Steer, President, WRI

Jennifer Morgan, Director, Climate and Energy Program, WRI

Clifford Polycarp, Senior Associate, Institutions & Governance Program, WRI

WHEN
Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. EST (DC)//14:00 GMT (London)

Media: Call-in 10 minutes prior to the start time

DIAL-IN
+(888) 566-6569 (Toll Free, U.S. only); or

+(517) 308-9326 (U.S. and International)

Access code: WRI

STATEMENT: Obama Administration Finalizes Emissions Standards for Light-Duty Vehicles

Lauren Zelin — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 12:56:16 -0400

The Obama Administration announced the finalized historic fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards for light-duty vehicles. The final program for model year 2017-2025 passenger cars and trucks will require an average CO2-level of 163 grams per mile, which is equivalent to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025, if all reductions are made through fuel-economy improvements.

Today’s action builds on the first phase of the Obama Administration’s national program (2012-2016), which would raise fuel efficiency equivalent to 35.5 mpg by 2016 and lower CO2 emissions standards to 250 grams per mile.

Following is a statement by Kevin Kennedy, U.S. Climate Director, World Resources Institute:

“These rules will take a real bite out of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, and in a way that’s good for consumers and the auto industry. Following the summer of extreme weather and with mounting evidence of climate change all around, the need for greater action could not be clearer.

“EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimate that the national plan will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 6 billion metric tons. Light-duty vehicles account for approximately 17 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

“These standards will also save consumers money by reducing the amount of fuel needed by drivers in America. EPA and NHTSA estimate together the plan will save 12 billion barrels of oil, which is more than the total gasoline the United States consumed in 2011 (approximately 3.2 billion barrels).

“Even with a recent dip, U.S. emissions are expected to grow and will significantly impact our planet—bringing more extreme weather and other dangerous impacts to people and the economy. While more needs to be done, these rules will play an important role in driving down U.S. emissions over time.”

# # # #

For more background on the auto standards, read: What To Look For In The EPA’s Forthcoming Standards On Emissions From Light-Duty Vehicles.

Fact Sheet: The Connection Between Climate Change and Recent Extreme Weather Events

Sarah Parsons — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 16:20:06 -0400

What do we know about the connection between climate change and recent extreme weather events, such as the heat waves, drought, and fires?

Scientists agree that climate change has already primed the pump for extreme weather events:

A recent report by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientists compared the rising risk of extreme weather events to a baseball player’s improved performance after taking steroids. “For any one of his home runs… you would not know for sure whether it was caused by steroids or not…. But you might be able to attribute his increased number to the steroids.”
Recent climate science assessment reports by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. Global Change Research Program find that several types of extreme weather are on the rise, that man-made climate change is likely responsible, and that these trends are expected to continue. Jonathan Overpeck, a professor of geosciences and atmospheric sciences at the University of Arizona, said, “This is certainly what I and many other climate scientists have been warning about…. This is what global warming looks like at the regional or personal level.”

Extreme Heat

Government scientists at NOAA are saying that man-made climate change has increased the probability of longer and more intense heat waves.
This year the U.S. has been breaking high temperature records at a ratio of 10-to-1 over cold temperature records (in the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s, the typical ratio was 1-to-1).
The U.S. has just experienced the warmest 12-month period since record-keeping began in 1895.
More than 26,000 new record temperature highs have been set this year (2012) alone in the United States.
According to NOAA, June 2012 marks the 36th consecutive June and 328th consecutive month with a global temperature above the 20th century average. Thomas Karl, Director of NOAA’s climate office said, “We believe there is an important human component explaining these record-breaking temperatures, and that’s the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.”

Droughts

The recent study by NOAA scientists found that the conditions leading to the 2011 Texas drought are 20 times more likely to occur now, in a world warmed by greenhouse gas emissions, than in the 1960s. The head of NOAA’s climate office, Tom Karl, stated, “What we’re seeing, not only in Texas but in other phenomena in other parts of the world, where we can’t explain these events by natural variability alone. They’re just too rare, too uncommon.”
Nearly two-thirds of the contiguous U.S. is currently suffering from drought.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has designated 1,297 counties across 29 states as disaster areas–this is the largest natural disaster area declaration in U.S. history.
U.S. government research shows that global warming intensifies both drought and heat, making drought events even dryer and heat waves even warmer than they otherwise would have been. Kevin Trenberth, a senior scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, said man-made global warming “…creates stronger, more intense, and longer-lasting drought. No doubt about it.”
The U.S. Global Change Research Program has projected more frequent and severe droughts across much of the United States in the coming decades. For the Great Plains region, 70 percent of which is farmland, their projection is dire: increasing temperatures and evaporation rates and more sustained drought, further stressing already overstrained water resources.

Fires

This summer’s wildfires in Colorado were promoted by hot and extremely dry conditions and belownormal snowfall during the recent winter. Early summer statewide snowpack in Colorado was at 2 percent of its historic average. According to the USDA Undersecretary, Harris Sherman, who oversees the U.S. Forest Service, whose firefighters are on the front lines, “The climate is changing, and these fires are a very strong indicator of that.”
According to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, climate change has likely contributed to a significant increase in big forest fires in the West. Over the past 30 years, large and long-duration forest fires in the American West have increased fourfold, the length of the fire season has expanded by 2.5 months, and the size of wildfires has increased several-fold.

Download the fact sheet to see full citations.