Warming Report Warns of Increased Flooding

[YankeyMCC]

Source: NY Times

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One-hundred-year floods could come as often as once every 10 years by the end of this century, Long Island lobsters could disappear and New York apples could be just a memory if nothing is done to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new report on the impact of global warming by the Union of Concerned Scientists.
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Speaking at the news conference, James McCarthy, professor of biological oceanography at Harvard University and president-elect of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, predicted that New York City might have to swelter through a full month with temperatures over 100 degrees. The prolonged heat could dry up the Catskill Mountain waters that supply the city, and air quality could decline, worsening conditions for people with asthma and allergies.

Some changes, like earlier springs, longer summers and less snowy winters are already being seen are the result of heat trapping gasses released over the last century. But scientists said things would become far worse, and much more costly, unless steps are taken now to limit the impact.
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Without reductions in emissions, sea levels could rise, inundating coastal areas on southern Long Island and pushing water over parts of lower Manhattan, flooding the financial district and pouring water into the subways, making them inoperable.

The impact on New York State’s $3.5 billion a year agricultural industry could be devastating, said David Wolfe, professor of plant ecology in the Department of Horticulture at Cornell University. While higher temperatures might at first blush seem beneficial because they would extend the growing season, the reality is that they would bring new plant and insect pests like the corn ear worm and wooly aldegid.
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Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/11/science/11cnd-warm.html?ex=1341806400&en=6a27229fdc5c9700&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

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Press release here (you'll find a link to the report there as well):

http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/global-warming-to-hit-0044.html

[cliss]

1. Ready or not,

here it comes.

I think we're going to see some dramatic changes MUCH sooner than by the end of this century. We're already seeing unprecedented things happening, and they're happening around the world. NO place is exempt from this stuff.