EVEN MORE VULNERABLE. In the coming decades, the United States and Canada will be increasingly exposed to the consequences of global warming and climate change. Vulnerability is increasing particularly along the coast, where more people are settling and large sums are being invested in housing, businesses and infrastructure.
The climate panel warns that North America’s two major countries are far from taking this seriously enough in their planning. The panel writes that the current system, where everything is focused on managing crises when they arise, must be changed to adopt a policy aimed at preventing crises and limiting the extent of damage as much as possible.
DISASTER PENDING The southern United States, like a number of Latin American countries, will be exposed to more frequent and more violent hurricanes, and ultimately to rising sea levels. The extent of damage caused by conditions Extreme weather could increase significantly, writes the climate panel, which also warns that the United States and Canada must prepare for much higher death tolls from future natural disasters. Rising sea levels, accompanied by tidal waves and greater flooding, will impose significant costs on the transportation sector and other infrastructure along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Coast. The size of coastal wetlands will be reduced and species that live in brackish waters and saltwater marshes will be significantly reduced.
THE SEA TAKES LAND Coastal areas will be affected by several climate changes. Rising sea levels will make North America’s coasts increasingly vulnerable to flooding and erosion in the coming decades. More and more violent storms will wreak havoc. Coastal wetlands and other unique natural environments will be weakened, and already threatened species will experience major problems, in part because extensive development will often prevent species from moving into new, suitable habitats.
MUST WATER A LOT MORE Even with moderate climate change in the coming decades, artificial irrigation must be initiated on between 5 and 20 percent of croplands that currently run on natural precipitation. U.S. agriculture must also prepare for more and larger insect attacks and grass fires in a warmer future. This can quickly offset the increased growth that a warmer climate will bring in some areas.
LESS SNOW AND ICE Less precipitation will fall as snow in mountainous regions of western North America and the snow will melt earlier in the spring. The consequence will be more winter flooding and less summer flooding. The latter will increase competition for water resources. In many parts of the United States, access to fresh water is already so scarce that it is considered one of the nation’s major environmental problems. Climate change is also expected to further reduce groundwater levels.
FIRES AND DISEASES IN FORESTS In recent decades, wildfires have been more numerous and larger in North America than ever before. The climate committee warns that the fire season will be extended by 10 to 30 percent, but that burned areas could increase by 70 to 120 percent by 2100. In addition, pestilence and diseases can degrade forests. areas. But in the first decades of this century, the growth of America’s forests will accelerate, so total production could increase further.
EVEN WOTTER Several large cities in the United States, which are currently regularly exposed to heat waves, can expect more heat, with even more intense heat periods. Heat waves with stable and very warm air masses will extend over cities during the day, followed by nights with high minimum temperatures. These phenomena will affect certain regions of the United States and Canada more often and more and more strongly. Over the course of this century, heat waves will pose an increasing health risk to the growing elderly population.
OZONE DEATHS In addition to more people dying from heat waves, the climate panel estimates that by the middle of this century, the warmer climate, combined with high ground-level ozone in the most polluted cities, will cause The number of people who die each year from ozone poisoning is expected to increase by 4.5 percent until 2050. A sharp increase in the number of people suffering from serious respiratory problems due to both pollution and pollen.
