By continuing, you accept our use of cookies. But scientists hoping to communicate the consequences have to … We're arming the new administration with facts, evidence, and science. Lake Superior Climate Change Impacts Report, January 2014. Urge Congress to pass a budget that prioritizes people and our planet. In Wisconsin, it says it will provide the information to Gov. © Union of Concerned Scientists Some of these findings include research from the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts at UW-Madison. US electricity infrastructure is aging, inadequate, and vulnerable. The report was designed to raise awareness of climate change and broaden understanding of its potential impacts and solutions. It follows other studies, including the federal government’s national climate assessment released last fall, showing how global warming is already affecting the United States. Democracy and science can be powerful partners for the public good—and both are under attack. For fans of the third dish, however, there could be trouble ahead: As climate change intensifies, some scientists fear for the future of the North American maple syrup industry. The northern Great Lakes states could see a month or so fewer days where the temperature does not get above freezing. Forest firefighter and conservation biologist Jon Trapp talks about analyzing wildfires, close calls with endangered wolves, and the urgency of global warming. No purchase necessary. But these seasonal changes are expected to be reversed in the northern Great Lakes, where winter temperatures will rise more than summer's. You may need a PDF reader to view some of the files on this page. "What we are seeing with climate change now in the Great Lakes region is more rocking and rolling in water levels — higher highs and lower lows and a … Tony Evers to join group committed to cutting greenhouse gases, implementing Paris accord, Oil and Water: Pipeline Pressure Builds in the Great Lakes, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 3. Nationally, from 1901 to 2015, annual precipitation rose 4 percent. Tony Evers to join group committed to cutting greenhouse gases, implementing Paris accord, RELATED:Oil and Water: Pipeline Pressure Builds in the Great Lakes. This is especially true for the Great Lakes states. The warming climate also could mean less overall snowfall even as lake-effect snowstorms get bigger. Tony Evers, a Democrat, and the Legislature, which is controlled by Republicans, to push for more solar and wind development, improve energy efficiency, accelerate electric cars and reduce runoff that pollutes the lakes and their tributaries. Air Temperature Increases The Great Lakes region has tracked global increases in temperature and outpaced trends in some parts of the contiguous United States. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. “As I read through (the report), it’s a comprehensive assessment of impacts of climate change on the Great Lakes, not only on the lakes themselves but to a certain extent on regions around the lake as well,” said Daniel J. Vimont, a climate scientist at UW-Madison, whose work is included in the report. Our transportation system is outdated and broken—and it needs to change. A REPORT OF The Union of Concerned Scientists and The Ecological Society of America Confronting Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region Impacts on Our Communities and Ecosystems Lake Michigan Lake St. Joseph Plains Nipigon Plains Thunder Bay Plains Superior Highlands Matagami Chapleau “Climate change is now adding more challenges and another layer of stress,” Wuebbles said in a statement. In December 2015, a “State of Climate Change Science in the Great Lakes Basin: A Focus on Climatological, Hydrologic and Ecological Effects” report was released, which synthesizes the state of climate change impacts in the Great Lakes Basin. It was written in a readily accessible style for the general public, state and national policymakers, and business leaders. Climate change is causing significant and far-reaching impacts on the Great Lakes and the Great Lakes region. Dr. Rebecca Boehm explains how excess fertilizer on Midwest farms contributes to “dead zones” in the Gulf, and how to reverse course. Sign up or text "SCIENCE" to 662266. Climate change is eroding shorelines, altering ecosystems, and causing flooding and economic damage along the Great Lakes. Beaches, dunes and shorelines will experience more erosion from heavier rainfall, the report predicted. The findings are an amalgamation of climate-related research and its impacts on the Great Lakes. The report projects precipitation patterns will change, with wetter winters and springs, and by 2100, summer precipitation should decrease by 5 percent to 15 percent for most of Great Lake states. This could increase demand for irrigation, which could tax groundwater supplies, the report said. Clean energy investments can help. The Great Lakes Integrated Sciences + Assessments Center is a collaboration between the University of Michigan and Michigan State University. The US food system should be providing healthy, sustainable food for everyone. Public transit needs support from Congress now. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. This Great Lakes Fishery Commission completion report goes a step further than the Nature Communications publication (link above) by describing more intimiate details of the experiment as well as future climate modeling in light of the relationship between winter duration and yellow perch reproductive success. We use cookies to improve your experience. Minimize the pressure on the environment, thus reducing the vulnerability to the impact of climate change. Reduce the risk of climate change by reducing emissions. A blog on science, politics, and activism. The Great Lakes hold about one-fifth of the world's surface fresh water. Water level and water temperature are two important and interrelated indicators of weather and climate change in the Great Lakes. Confronting Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region: Impacts on Our Communities and Ecosystems was a comprehensive report released by the Union of Concerned Scientists and the Ecological Society of America, and written by leading university and government scientists in the Great Lakes region.This report examined the potential impacts of climate change upon the various … The report estimates climate change could reduce crop yields for corn and soybeans up to 30 percent in the southern parts of the Great Lakes region like Illinois and Indiana. The influx of nutrients and higher water temperatures could lead to more algal blooms, such as those in Green Bay where scientists are tracking a seasonal "dead zone" where there is virtually no oxygen. A scientific report says the Great Lakes region is warming faster than the rest of the U.S., which likely will bring more flooding and other extreme weather events such as heat waves and drought. There are numerous efforts underway to refine predictions of future climate conditions and to predict impacts on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin. 2 Brattle Square, Cambridge MA 02138, USA A report released Thursday, largely from scientists at Midwestern universities including the University of Wisconsin-Madison, highlights current and future effects of climate change on the Great Lakes. A new report commissioned by the Environmental Law and Policy Center urges Great Lakes states to mitigate and prepare for the "profound" effects of climate change. Don Wuebbles, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Illinois and the lead author of the report, said the Great Lakes have faced significant impacts over the past 200 years. The US continues to keep intercontinental ballistic missiles on high alert—creating the risk of a mistaken nuclear war in response to a false warning. But in the Great Lakes states, precipitation rose nearly 10 percent, with more of it coming from large storms. From 1973 to 2010, annual average ice coverage on the Great Lakes declined by 71%. Temperature changes will differ within the region. The August report, An Evaluation of Stressor Interactions in the Great Lakes, examines seven problems plaguing the Great Lakes — fish harvest, habitat loss, nutrients, pathogens, climate change, invasive species and toxic chemicals — to learn how they interact with one another to affect the lakes’ health. Municipal water systems might also face higher costs in removing the nutrients, the study found. No matter who sits in the White House, we’ve seen all too clearly how political interference with science can have life-threatening consequences. The Union of Concerned Scientists is actively monitoring the coronavirus pandemic and its implications for scientific integrity. Confronting Climate Change in the Great Lakes (2003). The energy choices we make today could make or break our ability to fight climate change. Climate change is fueling extreme water levels in the Great Lakes — and scientists are predicting “higher highs and lower lows.” By Tony Briscoe Jan 9, 2020 Text STOP to opt out. All rights reserved. How all of this will affect lake levels is unclear. Grappling with climate change requires transforming how we power our economy, and no sector requires more fundamental change than transportation, which accounts for the largest share of US global warming pollution. RELATED:Wisconsin state lands agency eliminates ban on climate change advocacy. The election is over, but the crises are all still here. This report, from 18 leading scientists and experts from Midwest and Canadian universities and research institutions, draws on the array of existing research to assess how the shifting global climate impacts the unique Great Lakes region. Snow, climate change and land use change could therefore result Ice Cover and Lake Temperature Lake temperatures have been increasing faster than surrounding air temperatures. Fortunately, there are solutions that can benefit both farmers and fishers. As one of eleven NOAA-funded regional centers, GLISA builds capacity to manage risks from climate change and variability in the Great Lakes region. The center says that it will use the findings to highlight climate impacts on the region. Terms and conditions. The report was commissioned by the Environmental Law & Policy Center of Chicago and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs — and thus has a political context. 2 Brattle Square, Cambridge MA 02138, USA, Infographic: Wildfires and Climate Change, Building Equitable, Clean, and Climate-Safe Infrastructure. As climate change brings more extremes and our pipes continue to age, we can’t just wait for federal dollars. They’re the most dangerous invention the world has ever seen. A team of Midwestern climate scientists has released a new report with grim predictions about the impact of climate change on the Great Lakes region. Climate change use of cookies, a legislative task force held its first hearing Wednesday Madison! First hearing Wednesday in Madison on water quality in other ways underway to refine predictions future... Readily accessible style for the Great Lakes, stress water infrastructure systems and pose problems for recreation national,. 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