Climate change poses major threat to US, concludes new government report | Science

Climate change is already being felt in communities across the United States and will cause increasing damage to the economy, infrastructure, and human and ecological health, unless the United States and United States. other countries are taking concerted action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a warmer world. .

This is the sobering message sent by a major federal report released today, which examines the effects of climate change on different regions, economic sectors and ecosystems of the United States. The 29-chapter report, officially known as Volume II of the Fourth National Climate Assessment, follows the first volume of the evaluation published a year ago, summarizing the state of climatology.

"Future climate change is expected to disrupt many areas of life, exacerbating existing challenges to prosperity posed by aging and deteriorating infrastructure, stressed ecosystems and economic inequalities," the report concludes. And unless warming emissions are reduced, "annual losses in some economic sectors are expected to reach hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century, more than the current gross domestic product of many US states."

The report, mandated by a 1990 law requiring federal agencies to publish a report on the status and potential effects of climate change at least every four years, was written by some 300 experts working within and outside the government. federal. The report preparation process, led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, involved gathering public input at public events in more than 40 cities.

The report comes as the administration of President Donald Trump has repeatedly downplayed or dismissed warnings from government experts that climate change poses a serious threat to national security, and is considering removing a wide range of regulations aimed at to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. He also intervenes a few weeks before the Democrats are about to take control of the US House of Representatives. New House leaders have promised to make climate change a priority and have already announced a series of hearings on the subject.

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