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Late Breaking News |
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| Date: August 3, 1998 1:49 pm Contact: Sierra Club Dan Becker, (202) 547-1141 Ann Mesnikoff, (202) 675-7902 Steve Pedery, (202) 675-6278 |
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Latest News Releases
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Sierra Club Report: Recent Weather Extremes Are A 'Dress Rehearsal' For Global Warming | ||
| WASHINGTON - August 3 - Today the Sierra Club issued a report and map
that examines the alarming number of extreme weather events that have struck the United
States since last November. "Scientists are telling us that global warming means more extreme weather," said Dan Becker, the Sierra Club's Global Warming and Energy Program Director. "The weather is telling us that global warming has begun." Since November of 1997 all regions of the United States, and many regions of the world, have experienced alarmingly frequent extreme weather. Rainfall and floods of biblical proportions have struck many areas of the country, while others have been wracked by severe drought. Heat waves have claimed hundreds of lives in the Southeast alone. Over 100 deaths in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma are attributed to the extreme heat wave this July. Flooding along the Ohio River claimed six lives in June. An unprecedented downpour resulted in seven deaths near Los Angeles in February. Wildfires in Florida charred 485,000 acres and forced thousands to flee their homes. America's economy is also suffering the consequences of extreme weather. Agricultural and ranching losses due to the drought and heat in the South are estimated to be in the billions. In Texas alone, losses have exceeded $4.6 billion. While none of these weather events can be blamed exclusively on global warming, they fit a profile of extremes that leading scientists agree will become more common as temperatures rise. And, global temperatures are rising. Each of the first six months of 1998 were the warmest since record keeping began in 1880. The nine hottest years in recorded history have all occurred in the last eleven, and the average surface temperature of the entire planet has risen about one degree Fahrenheit in the last 100 years. This combination of record heat and unprecedented extreme weather is consistent with scientific projections of global warming. As Kevin Trenberth, head of the climate analysis section of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, told the Los Angeles Times, "When you put the whole picture together, one should conclude that global warming is playing a role." "Unfortunately, extreme weather doesn't just break temperature records," noted Becker. "It also breaks homes and takes lives." The Sierra Club points out that there is good news: we can take sensible steps today to reduce the pollution that causes global warming while strengthening the U.S. economy. Simple measures like improving our nation's energy efficiency, switching to cleaner and renewable fuels, and raising the fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks can cut pollution, spur economic growth and save consumers money. "It's ironic that while Americans are suffering through weather extremes of biblical proportions, Congress is happily slashing efforts to cut global warming pollution," said Becker. "It's time to get our heads out of the sand and do something to cut pollution." ### |
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