Dire outlook for US climate change is getting worse

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    The dire impact of future climate change on the US, spelt out in the federal government’s National Climate Assessment report last November, is looking even worse after the completion of further research.

Scientists involved in the assessment, an exercise mandated by Congress that takes place every four years, gave an update at the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Austin.

New findings, for example about sea level rise and the frequency of severe weather, reinforced the report’s message, said Donald Wuebbles, professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Illinois and a leader of the assessment.

“Climate change is not just something for the future. The bottom line is that our climate is changing now, extremely rapidly,” he said. “Temperatures over Europe and North America today are the highest they have been in 11,000 years”

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    The assessment involves hundreds of scientists in government and universities. Many were worried that it would fall foul of the Trump administration’s sceptical attitude about man-made climate change — and were relieved that no attempt was made to hold up or change the first volume of report before publication.

The second volume of the assessment, focusing on climate change’s impact on specific US regions and economic sectors, is due to appear late this year. Its preparation is proceeding smoothly without political interference, the scientists said. “So far it’s looking good,” Prof Wuebbles told the Financial Times. “They are leaving us alone.”

Source: ft