New NV Report: Climate Change Puts Economy At Risk
New York – In advance of Earth Day, a new research brief from non-partisan public policy organization Demos sounds a wake up call for policymakers and voters: “The Economic and Environmental Impacts of Climate Change in Nevada” lays out how Nevadans’ health, economy, and environment are already suffering the effects of climate change and how prolonged inaction on climate change promises dire consequences in the coming decades.
Read “The Economic and Environmental Impacts of Climate Change in Nevada” here
As “The Economic and Environmental Impacts of Climate Change in Nevada” explains, climate change will cause shifts in temperature and weather patterns that directly affect the state’s already precarious water supply, the future of which is closely tied to the state’s economic future. Already in 2010, with local groundwater resources long-depleted, Nevada greatly exceeded its guaranteed Colorado River allocation. And while the state debates various solutions, the best research shows that increasing temperatures will only exacerbate serious concerns and costs including:
- Flows through the Colorado River system (one major source of water for Nevada) are projected to diminish by as much as 7 percent in the next fifty years, contributing to the risks to water-intensive sectors such as tourism, agriculture, mining and power.
- Asthma attacks and allergies will be more severe due to higher levels of air pollution, including ozone, particulates from dust and wildfires, and higher pollen counts that start earlier in the spring.
“A serious commitment to mitigating climate change is the only way to spare Nevada’s state economy and natural environment the certain fate that’s beginning to be played out now,” explained Dr.Mijin Cha, Senior Policy Analyst at Demos. “When policies are being drafted, leaders must consider the real long-term environmental and economic impact our decision will have. Short-sighted planning has gotten Nevada where it is today, and it is not where it can afford to be tomorrow.”
The report is authored by Robert Repetto, author of the 2011 book America’s Climate Problem: The Way Forward. He is a Senior Fellow in the United Nations Foundation’s climate and energy program. In the report, Repetto calls for a strong national climate policy that stabilizes greenhouse gas emissions and will enable Nevada to avoid the worst of these impacts while tapping into its renewable energy resources to bolster the state’s economy, particularly in rural areas.
To speak with Dr.Cha or the author please see contact information above.
