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Report: Global Warming Could Lead to Extreme Weather in CA

The report released by Environment California found "that four out of five Californians live in counties that were affected by weather-related disasters."

After a year that saw many parts of the country hit by scorching heat, devastating wildfires, severe storms and record flooding, a new Environment California Research & Policy Center report documents how global warming could lead to certain extreme weather events, becoming even more common or more severe in the future. 

“The extreme weather we suffered through in 2011 is a frightening reminder of why we must do everything we can to cut the dangerous carbon pollution that is fueling global warming by investing in clean, renewable energy,” said Sean Carroll, Environment California’s Federal Field Associate. “Recent weather-related disasters in California include wildfires, flooding and mudslides.”

The report, In the Path of the Storm: Global Warming, Extreme Weather, and the Impacts of Weather-Related Disasters in the United States, examines the number of weather-related disasters declared through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in counties across California from 2006 to 2011, finding that four out of five Californians live in counties that were affected by weather-related disasters.

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The report is accompanied by a new interactive map identifying recent weather-related disasters in counties across California.

Environment California was joined by elected officials from across the state in releasing the report.

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“The past few years have seen a number examples of unusual weather and its impacts - uncharacteristically low snowfall in the Sierras, which will have serious ramifications for water supplies; changes in seasonal weather patterns that are affecting crop growth, altering bird migration pathways, and causing insect extinctions; and devastating tornadoes and hurricanes," said Congressman Mike Honda. "Environment California’s report puts together all of these pieces of the puzzle, revealing a grim picture of the impact of climate change on our planet and highlighting the changes we must make to avert this calamity.”

Global warming is expected to have varying impacts on different types of extreme weather events. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently concluded that it is “virtually certain” that hot days will become hotter and “likely” that extreme precipitation events will continue to increase worldwide. 

In addition, every weather event is now a product of a climate system where global warming “loads the dice” for extreme weather, though in different ways for different types of extreme weather.

California is the world’s 12th largest source of global warming pollution and according to Environment California, is a state that can make a world of a difference by continuing to undertake big initiatives to solve global warming—like investing in clean energy.

Strong support at the state level over the last decade has made California home to the nation’s biggest clean energy market. Since the Million Solar Roofs initiative passed in 2006, California now has more rooftop solar than all but five countries, and has only scratched the surface of its potential.

Congresswoman Judy Chu added, “California is already pursuing a robust commitment to clean energy alternatives, but we can’t do it alone. By investing in clean energy solutions like wind power right now, America can lead the way to a cleaner – and safer – tomorrow.”


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