Batten down the hatches: global warming is here

“Global warming is a tale of extremes” began Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) who chairs the House Energy Independence and Global Warming Committee. The committee held a hearing on global warming’s effects on extreme weather. Markey added that the US cannot afford to only treat the symptoms of global warming, but should also work to control our global warming pollution.

According to Angela Licata, deputy commissioner of the New York City Bureau of Environmental Planning and Analysis, by 2050 the city of New York will experience a 3 to 5 degree fahrenheit increase in temperature, a 2.5 to 7.5 percent increase in precipitation, and a six to 12 inch rise in sea level. Jay Golden, director of the National Center for Excellence added that increases in temperature caused by greenhouse gasses are significantly more severe in urban areas than in rural ones. He referred to this phenomenon as the ‘urban heat island’ effect. Both speakers agreed that these changes require substantial national planning and adaptation in order to ensure adequate supplies of water and other resources for the region.

The ominous predictions were not unique to the East coast. Senior research associate at the Pacific Institute Heather Cooley stated that regions in the West can expect decreased snow packs with increased rain, resulting in disasterous floods and draughts.

Jimmy Adegoke, an associate professor at the University of Missouri in Kansas City added that the panel should no longer be searching for evidence of climate change because we are already in the middle of it. As such, the nation needs to make adequate policy adjustments to ensure that Americans are protected from global warming’s increasing effects.