April 13, 2012

Costs of Climate Change

According to the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, the Texas drought has caused $7.62 billion in damages to crops and farming operations. That's up from $5.3 billion reported last August.


Texas State Climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon explained last September:
Warmer temperatures lead to greater water demand, faster evaporation, and greater drying-out of potential fuels for fire. Thus, the impacts of the drought were enhanced by global warming, much of which has been caused by man.


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Climate change is expected to cost the economy of Pakistan up to $14 billion each year for natural disasters and other losses, which is almost 5 percent of the country's gross domestic product, this was stated by Former Federal State Minister for Environment Malik Amin Aslam.


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Damage to natural services provided by oceans could cost the world $2 Trillion a year by the end of the century if steps to curtail climate change are not taken, a study by the respected Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) said today.
Researchers warned that without action global temperatures could rise by 4°C by 2100, leading to acidification, reduced oxygen content, stronger tropical storms and sea-level rises, all of which would in turn threaten fish stocks and other marine life.
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The End of Sierra SkiingRising temperatures are expected to cause the Sierra Nevada to lose 80 percent of its winter snowpack in just 40 years, a U.S. Geological Survey scientist said.


The decrease in snowfall was among several grim impacts that climate change could have on the Bay Area if current carbon emissions go unabated, USGS climate change coordinator Tom Suchanek said in a lecture called "Projected Climate Change Impacts in California." 

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