Adapting to Global Warming - New Report Discusses the Ability of the United States to Adapt to Effects of Global Warming
New report from Pew Center on Global Climate Change warns that we are past the point where global warming can be prevented entirely; calls for measures that will help U.S. adapt to the climate change that will occur.
Washington, DC (PRWEB) June 16, 2004 -- The mainstream scientific community
agrees that the earth is warming, the warming is caused primarily by the
build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and that the warming will
continue if we don’t reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. But even if extreme
measures could be taken immediately to curtail emissions, the momentum of the
earth’s atmosphere is such that the earth will continue to warm for many years
to come.
"Unfortunately, we’re already past the point where global
warming can be prevented entirely, said Eileen Claussen, President of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. "Now we need a
two-pronged approach that combines reductions in greenhouse gas emissions with
policies that will help us adapt to the climate change that is going to
occur."
A new Pew Center report on global warming, "Coping with Global Climate Change: The Role of Adaptation in
the United States" by William Easterling of Pennsylvania State University,
Brian Hurd of New Mexico State University, and Joel Smith of Stratus Consulting
Inc., discusses the importance of adapting to climate change, the options
available for adaptation, and the challenges of implementing them in the United
States.
Adaptation will not be an easy or cost-free process, according to
the report. Despite the challenges, however, the capacity of the U.S. economy to
adapt to climate change is high, because of the broad range of resources
(including wealth, technology and information) that can be directed at the
problem.
"But the longer we delay," cautioned Claussen, "the greater the
cost will be."
Even if the country as a whole adapts well, individual
regions and communities may still face damages and disruption, and the more
quickly the climate changes, the more difficult and costly adaptation will be.
Other regions of the world, particularly developing countries that lack the
tools and resources for adaptation are even more vulnerable to the adverse
impacts of climate change.
Finally, natural ecosystems, such as coral
reefs and coastal wetlands, are facing dire consequences if the climate changes
at the rates and magnitude currently predicted. Existing stresses, including
habitat loss and pollution, have already weakened the ability of species to
adapt by reducing resilience and introducing barriers to migration.
The
report highlights the importance of anticipating the impacts of climate change
rather than simply reacting to challenges as they occur. Making
climate-conscious decisions now while designing and investing in long-lived
infrastructures, such as water management, transportation and health care
systems, will help the United States adapt to climate change later. Government
policies can promote the development and adoption of strategies and technologies
for adaptation through research, information sharing and institutional reform.
"Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is critical, but that alone will not
be enough to protect the United States from climate change," said Claussen.
"There are actions we can take now that will reduce the severity of some of its
worst effects."
The full text of this and other Pew Center reports is
available at http://www.pewclimate.org/global-warming-in-depth/all_reports/adaptation/pr_main.cfm
The
Pew Center was established in May 1998 by The Pew Charitable Trusts, one of the
United States’ largest philanthropies and an influential voice in efforts to
improve the quality of the environment. The Pew Center is an independent,
nonprofit, and non-partisan organization dedicated to providing credible
information, straight answers, and innovative solutions in the effort to address
global climate change. The Pew Center is led by Eileen Claussen, the former U.S.
Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and
Scientific Affairs.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/6/prweb134235.htm