The legislation, known as the Energy Freedom bill, included a provision directing the University of Washington to complete a climate change assessment and an analysis of the potential human health impacts of climate change.
The draft report has just been released and represents the most comprehensive look ever at the impacts climate change will have on our state's agriculture, human health, coasts, energy, forests, urban stormwater infrastructure, salmon and water. Some of the conclusions are particularly sobering, such as predicted increases in mortality rates due to hotter summers.
According to the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, which participated in the study:
The study projects that, by 2020 and into the 2080s, Washington will experience higher temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, and lower summer water supplies. The report also details the potential economic impacts of these changes on families, businesses, and communities.The report states:
Preparing for (or adapting to) the impacts of climate change is necessary to minimize the negative consequences of climate change in Washington State, including an increased risk for drought, forest fires, habitat loss, and heat stress. Adapting to climate change also creates opportunities to maximize the benefits of climate change, such as a longer growing season and increased winter hydropower production.The report is intended to help guide local and state governments in making the "regulatory, legal, institutional, and cultural changes to reduce the barriers that limit building a more climate resilient Washington."
This is a good read for anyone wanting a local take on a global problem.
