Climate Adaptation Science on the Chopping Block Amid Fossil Fuel Push

As the US government plans to increase its reliance on fossil fuels, scientists and researchers are sounding the alarm about the consequences of this decision. The development of climate adaptation science, which has been instrumental in helping communities and governments prepare for the impacts of climate change, is now under threat due to potential funding cuts. Researchers from the Climate Adaptation Science Centers, funded by the US Geological Survey, highlight the critical role of this science in protecting communities from wildfire risk, sea level rise, and other climate-related hazards.

Key Takeaways:

• Researchers with the Climate Adaptation Science Centers have developed forecasting models to identify locations at greatest risk of wildfire at different times of year, allowing communities to take preventive measures.
• Adaptation research in Hawaii and the Pacific islands has helped identify the role of drought, invasive species, and land-use changes in contributing to fire risk, enabling communities to develop strategies to reduce those risks.
• In the Northeast, salt marshes are at risk of drowning as sea level rises faster than the sediment can build up, and researchers are developing local flood projections and collaborating on salt marsh restoration.
• Climate adaptation scientists in Alaska and the Northwest are evaluating the effectiveness of fish rescues and building partnerships to monitor stream temperatures and provide early warning systems for fisheries.
• Researchers have identified the risks from invasive species, which are expanding their ranges due to rising temperatures, and are working with state managers to eradicate these emerging threats before they become a problem.
• The regional invasive species networks have become a go-to source of climate-related scientific information for thousands of invasive species managers.

Statistics:

• Sea level is rising by about 1.3 inches per decade due to greenhouse gas emissions and thermal expansion of the oceans.
• Wildfires have increasingly threatened communities and ecosystems across the US, with climate change exacerbating heat waves and drought.
• Rising temperatures can make salmon sluggish and increase their risk from predators, and adaptation researchers in the Northwest and Alaska have been evaluating the effectiveness of fish rescues.
• The number of invasive species projected to emerge in the Northeast and upper Midwest by 2050 is substantial.
• Federally funded climate adaptation scientists develop risk maps and work with local communities to head off invasive species damage.

Sources:

• The Conversation -- USA -- By Bethany Bradley, Professor of Biogeography and Spatial Ecology, UMass Amherst
• The Conversation -- USA -- By Jia Hu, University Director of the Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center
• The Conversation -- USA -- By Meade Krosby, University Director of the Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center