Further Information on
Possible Effects of Climate Change from My Press Release of January
28, 2008
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
The IPCC reviews published and peer-reviewed literature focused
on climate change and publishes a report as a consensus on the
issue. In 2007, the IPCC shared the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize
with former Vice President Al Gore.
Last year, the IPCC released its Fourth Assessment Report.
According to this report, global warming is taking place and is
caused by increased greenhouse gas concentrations in the
atmosphere. Greenhouse gas emissions have increased 70 percent in
the past 35 years. Worldwide temperature has increased by 1.35˚F in
the past century and is expected to increase 2-11˚F in the 21st
century.
Environmental Changes
During the next century, sea levels will probably rise 7-23
inches and we will have extreme high tides, heavy precipitation and
more intense hurricanes more often. As carbon dioxide emissions
increase, the ocean warms and loses its ability to sequester carbon,
which could take centuries to reverse. Coastal states such as North
Carolina (with more than 4,500 miles of coastal shoreline) are at
greater risk of storm surge and coastal erosion. North Carolina is
third on the list of vulnerability to rising sea levels, behind
Florida and Louisiana. Many coastal geologists predict that much of
our Outer Banks could be under water within a generation.
At the same time, we could have increased heat waves and drought.
Higher percentages of our rainfall would come in shorter periods of
time. Increased carbon dioxide is also making the oceans more
acidic, which harms marine life.
North American wood and timber producers could lose $1 billion to
$2 billion a year due to increased wildfires, insect infestation and
diseases. Our state’s Christmas tree industry could be wiped out
along with other crops that are accustomed to our current climate.
Health Issues
With a decrease in the number of cold days and nights, plant and
animal pests would increase, leading to disease and food shortages.
Global warming has already contributed to an increase in and the
spread of diseases and premature deaths. North Carolina could
experience outbreaks of malaria and dengue fever. In the middle of
the 21st Century, more than 1 billion people will
experience water and food shortages and may have to relocate to
survive, including tens of millions of Americans.
What Can We Do?
We have many options that can change the effects of global
warming. Using renewable energy sources and fuel efficient/hybrid
vehicles are easy ways to start. We can also use green building
methods and solar-powered heating and cooling systems. We should
also restore soils that can store carbon, use better agriculture
techniques to reduce methane gases, use crops as alternative fuels
and compost organic waste. We will also need to adapt to the fact
that sea level rise and climate change are happening. We will need
to adopt better coastal management practices as well as help farmers
adjust to new crops.
This session, North Carolina became the first state in the
Southeast to set a renewable energy standard for power companies. We
passed laws to reduce energy consumption, promote the use of
alternative energy sources and biodiesel fuel, and strengthened
regulations for the construction of landfills. We also banned the
construction of new hog lagoons and increased the maximum penalty
for air quality violations.
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