Global warming threatens western U.S.
Global warming threatens western U.S.
mongabay.com
October 6, 2006
Global warming will cause drastic changes — including reduction in snowpack, worsening droughts, increases in wildfire and invasive species, and loss of regional biodiversity — in the American West if greenhouse gas emissions are not curtailed according to a new report from the National Wildlife Federation.
Fueling the Fire: Global Warming, Fossil Fuels and the Fish and Wildlife of the American West, released October 5, warns that America’s dependence on fossil fuels threatens wildlife and ecosystems, while putting its economy at risk.
Drier conditions and shifts in precipitation patterns are expected to reduce snowpack levels significantly in the West putting considerable strain on the region’s already stretched water supply. The report says that mountains in the Pacific Northwest are projected to lose as much as 88 percent of average snowpack by 2090, while the Central Rocky Mountains could lose 75 percent, and parts of the Southern Rockies and the Sierra Nevada range could see a 98-100
percent drop.
 American west. |
Drier conditions will exacerbate wildfires. The acreage burned by wildfires is expected to double in size across 11 western states between 2070-2100, according to recent studies.
Higher temperatures will affect regional biodiversity especially cold-water fisheries (i.e. trout and salmon), wetlands species, and high elevation wildlife populations.
“Global warming is projected to reduce boreal habitat in all of the mountain ranges of the Great Basin region, contributing to a 44-percent loss of mammal species, a 23-percent loss of butterfly species, a 30-percent loss of perennial grasses and forbs and a 17-percent loss of shrub species,” warns the report.
To stave off these threats, Fueling the Fire calls for immediate action.
“It is time to re-tap the pioneering spirit that built America and forge a new energy frontier for generations to come,” says the report. “Effective and affordable technologies are available that can significantly improve the energy efficiency of buildings, appliances, cars and trucks. In addition, clean, renewable energy sources such as the sun, wind and biofuels are becoming increasingly affordable and have tremendous potential to diversify the region’s and nation’s energy portfolio.”
The report suggests a four point strategy for mitigating climate change:
- Place significant, mandatory limits on U.S. global warming pollution.
- Reduce the nation’s overall dependence on fossil fuels through greater investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.
- Implement strategies to help wildlife survive the effects of global warming that are already underway.
- Promote strong wildlife stewardship as an important part of a new energy future.
The full report is available at www.nwf.org/news
This article used quotes and information from NWF’s Fueling the Fire: Global Warming, Fossil Fuels and the Fish and Wildlife of the American West.
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