Climate Change is Global, the Impact is Local

Category: Global Change, Local Impact

Read more about the local impacts of global climate change.

Global Change, Local Impact

Southern Sea Otters and Climate Vulnerability

Point Lobos is a State Natural Reserve of ecological and cultural significance along the Central Coast of California. The Southern Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris nereis), one of the staple species within the Reserve, is listed as a  ‘threatened’ species under the Federal Endangered Species Act and a ‘depleted’ species under the Marine Mammal Protection Action (Otter Project n.d.). Population numbers have increased since their discovery off of the Big Sur coast in 1938 but continue …

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Global Change, Local Impact

Arctic Health Affects the World

The Arctic climate significantly impacts the rest of the world. It creates feedback loops, which are the impact of an initial force on a system which might amplify (positive) or diminish (negative) the initial force. One ongoing example is the current melting of permafrost and the release of methane gas, the methane traps more heat in the atmosphere, which causes more permafrost melt. With increased methane in the atmosphere, Arctic feedback loops have the potential …

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Global Change, Local Impact

Hurricanes and Louisiana: Coastal Forests

The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season resulted in 3 billion-dollar hurricanes, with Hurricane Laura costing $1.6 billion in losses in agriculture and forestry alone, according to the LSU AgCenter. Valued at over $7 billion, agriculture and forestry are one of the most important industries in Louisiana, and as more Category 4 and 5 storms are projected, due to climate change, these sectors are left vulnerable in the years to come. While damages to agriculture were minimal, high winds …

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Global Change, Local Impact

New York City: Heat Waves and Heat Islands

In the summer of 2019, a dangerously strong heatwave fell over New York City and much of the United States. The brutal heat combined with an oppressive level of humidity forced the city of New York to create portable water fountains in heavily trafficked pedestrian areas, 500 cooling centers, and mandated that residents set their thermostats no lower than 78 °F. The main cause behind the 2019 heatwave in New York city, and similar ones …

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Global Change, Local Impact

Hurricanes and Louisiana: A Climate Crisis

Five hurricanes made landfall in Louisiana during the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. Three of which, Laura, Delta, and Zeta, cost billions of dollars in damage. The deadliest, Hurricane Laura, resulted in 28 deaths and totaled $19 billion in damage, according to the 2020 State of Climate report. With 50% of the population of Louisiana residing in coastal areas, climate change will exacerbate the intensity of these storms: posing a greater threat to the safety and property of …

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