The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has just released its updated collection of fact sheets providing a high-level look at how climate change is affecting each state. Snippets from the “What Climate Change Means for Idaho” two-page update:
- “Idaho’s climate is changing. Over the past century, most of the state has warmed one to two degrees (F). Snowpack is melting earlier in the year, and the flow of meltwater into streams during summer is declining. In the coming decades, streams will be warmer, populations of several fish species may decline, wildfires may be more common, deserts may expand, and water may be less available for irrigation.”
- “Diminishing snowpack may shorten the season for skiing and other forms of winter tourism and recreation. The tree line may shift, as subalpine fir and other high-altitude trees become able to grow at higher elevations. A higher tree line would decrease the extent of alpine tundra ecosystems, which could threaten some species.”
- “The combination of more fires and other conditions may expand deserts and otherwise change the landscape in southern Idaho. Many plants and animals living in arid lands are already near the limits of what they can tolerate.”
- “Climate change is likely to amplify some threats to health in Idaho. Certain people are especially vulnerable, including children, the elderly, the sick, and the poor.”
More from EPA’s news release:
EPA releases new state fact sheets on climate change
EPA published a series of fact sheets, “What Climate Change Means for Your State,” that focus on the impacts of climate change in each of the 50 states and the territories of Guam and Puerto Rico. These 52 fact sheets compile information from previously published synthesis and assessment reports to provide a handy reference for state and local policymakers, businesses, and individuals who are looking to communicate impacts of climate change in a given state. Fact sheets on the Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia will be coming soon.
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