Smog drifts over the famed Hollywood sign in this August file photo. (AP Photo/Nick Ut, FILE)
Posted on 10/04/2006 10:12:24 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
TRENTON, N.J. - Global warming could strain the Northeast's power grid, farms, forests and marine fisheries by the next century unless carbon dioxide emissions are reduced by 3 percent each year, according to a report released Wednesday.
The climate in the nine states — from New Jersey and Pennsylvania up to Maine — could become like that of the South with longer, much hotter summers and warmer winters with less snow, the report by the Union of Concerned Scientists said.
"This has enormous implications for human health. It puts a lot of stress on the energy system. It could lead to blackouts," said Katherine Hayhoe, an associate professor of geosciences at Texas Tech University and a lead author of the two-year study.
If power plant and auto emissions of carbon dioxide — considered the main culprit in global warming — continue unabated, average temperatures in the Northeast could rise between 6.5 degrees and 12.5 degrees by the end of the century, she said. A shift to cleaner, renewable energy sources would cut that increase in half, she said.
The study said Boston could see its number of 90-degree-plus summer days jump from one to 40 if no changes are made. New York City could have 70.
Doug Inkley, senior science adviser at the National Wildlife Federation, said the report was done by top-tier scientists and backs up his group's research showing a warmer climate in the Northeast will push out temperature-sensitive species from sugar maple and northern pine trees to songbirds and trout.
"This report is yet another wake-up call we cannot ignore," Inkley said.
The report targeted the Northeast because it is the world's seventh-largest source of emissions, behind the U.S. as a whole and five other nations, and because the region's leaders have taken steps to reduce emissions and could spur efforts elsewhere.
Mike MacCracken of The Climate Institute, a former head of the interagency group that did climate assessments under a Clinton-era research program, called the report "a high-quality job" that gives "pretty reliable indications of the amount of change."
John R. Christy, director of the Earth System Science Center at University of Alabama-Huntsville, said regional analyses he's done indicate the latest climate models can't predict well for a region, especially for rain and snow.
He said the report's recommendations — mostly centered on replacing or upgrading buildings, cars and appliances with more energy-efficient ones — won't have much effect on the total amount of carbon dioxide going into the atmosphere, partly because energy demand will keep growing.
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On the Net:
Union of Concerned Scientists report: http://www.ucsusa.org
Smog drifts over the famed Hollywood sign in this August file photo. (AP Photo/Nick Ut, FILE)
Oh no. Straining the power grid. This grim future is too horrible for words. We can do nothing to improve the power grid. The Northeast is as good as cooked. Too bad.
(/sarc...right?)
HA! When I was a kid that would be a clear day. You couldn't see that sign unless you were right under it most of the year back in the 70s. I'm always amazed at how clear the skies are down there whenever I visit -- even since I moved away in 95.
Yeah. That's the way to get the Northeast on board the Global Warming Train. Tell the people of NYC it won't get down to 10 degrees anymore and no more 20" of snow. I can see them all quitting smoking and taking public transportation now.
The government needs to pay me to empower my league of witches, wizards, shamans and warlocks to cast their spells of power and cool the place down. The Union of Concerned Scientists can audit our progress and will be happy, I'm sure, to pick up a piece of the swag . . . er, consultancy reimbursements.
The Pilgrims' original communistic system failed -- but they had enough sense to give it up after nearly starving. History will tell if the modern-day inhabitants of the same region have that much sense. No bets on that from yr hmbl srvnt.
Where is New Jersey?
Aha. The whackos now have 93+ years before they have to say they were wrong.
They used to be proven wrong in 10 yrs., then 20.
yitbos
I predict that the whole earth will burn up in about 100 years because of AlGore's hot air. We need to pass laws now to prevent that from happening. I need you all to send me money so that I can lobby Congress to pass a law to get AlGore to shut up, lest we all die in a hundred years.
Union of Corrupted Scientists.
A look at their website will show plenty of screeds that don't even have footnotes or any references. Their "Fact Pages" have no facts.
yitbos
I read the full report. There is next to no information on the actual models used, but I am HIGHLY skeptical of the conclusions...the models have poor resolution and do not predict historical data well. Why we are relying on them to inform policy decisions is beyond me.
jas3
Extra credit question - What portion of the Union of Concerned Scientists are actually scientists? Not psychobabblists, but real scientists.
Got it in one. The "Union of Concerned Scientists" got its start as a commie front organization to oppose nuclear weapons. It's REALLY long on commies and there fellow travelers, and really short on real scientists.
ping
Scientists" have always used misguided observation to come up with completely wrong theories. Both theories achieved the status of "dogma". In the Ptolemaic case, the false theory was enforced by the Vatican. With Global Warming, it is enforced by the global Socialist left that dominates academia and the media. But the facts are there that clearly undermine Global Warming. The momentum has shifted, and it's time will soon run out.
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