As noted in the New York Times, the report makes clear that climate change is already visibly changing our world: Arctic sea ice is melting precipitously -- and contributing to rising sea levels that threaten coastal populations (think Miami); mountain snowpack is melting earlier each year, leading to more frequent summer droughts (think western wildfires); and increased incidents of extreme weather are killing those least able to defend themselves (think everywhere).
The authors do a great job connecting the dots on the physical manifestations of climate change with likely impacts on geopolitics:
"Throughout the 21st century, climate-change impacts are projected to slow down economic growth, make poverty reduction more difficult, further erode food security, and prolong existing and create new poverty traps, the latter particularly in urban areas and emerging hot spots of hunger."
"Nobody on this planet is going to be untouched by the impacts of climate change," said Rajendra Pachauri, who chairs the IPCC, at the public release of the report on March 31.
The IPCC reports have huge academic credibility, representing the best scientific thinking from experts around the world, with the report this week representing the work of 243 lead authors and 436 additional experts.
So what does all this have to do with Pennsylvania? Our relatively small population of 12+ million people creates nearly one percent of the world's heat-trapping emissions -- a hugely disproportional ratio, given a global population of 7 billion.
So I would argue that Pennsylvanians bear extra responsibility to take action, since Congress won't. Here's an easy step you can take right now and it won't take more than a minute.Tell the EPA to move quickly and decisively to limit industrial climate pollution from power plants.
Future generations will thank you.
Joy Bergey is PennFuture's federal policy director and is based in Philadelphia.
