TCCPI – The Impact of Climate Change on New York's Economy and Environment
Source: Tompkins County Climate Protection Initiative, 8/23/2011
ASP’s “Pay Now Pay Later” New York report is featured.
By Hannah Foster
New York is the third most populous state in the United States with over 19 million people; it encompasses over 50,000 square miles and possesses 127 miles of coastline. There is already plenty of evidence that climate change is underway here. Winters are now an average of 4.4 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than they were in the 1970s, heavy downpours have increased in recent decades, and since 1990 there has been a one foot rise in the state’s coastal sea levels. How will New York’s ecosystems, infrastructure, human health, and economy continue to be affected by the development of climate change going forward?
According to a recent NYSERDA report, state temperatures are expected to rise 1.5 to 3 degrees by the 2020s, and 4 to 9 degrees by the 2080s. The frequency of extreme heat events will also increase. In addition, precipitation is expected to increase 5% by 2020s and 15% by 2080s. Downpours will be heavier and there may be more precipitation in winter and less in summer…
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