Climate Change Report

The U.S. Global Change Research Program released a new report today on climate change and its effect, with a time line, in the United States. “Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States” has sections devoted to the effect on each region. Colorado is divided in two, the Southwest and Great Plains, but the effect for both areas is an increase in temperature and for the Southwest a possible decrease in precipitation. This report's release today has been highlighted by the White House, with blog postings and live streams of the release (although the link wasn't working when I checked).

Why all the discussion? According to the Washington Post's article "Report: Climate Change Already Affecting U.S.": "What's different this time is the report's scope -- at 196 pages, the report attempts to present the fullest picture yet of the threats to the United States -- and its timing. It comes out as Congress is considering a mammoth bill that would impose the first national cap on emissions, and then seek to reduce them sharply over the next 41 years."

H.R. 2454, "To create clean energy jobs, achieve energy independence, reduce global warming pollution and transition to a clean energy economy" is the huge (495 sections) bill on energy issues, including a cap and trade provision for emissions. If you are interested in reading, commenting, etc. on this bill you might want to check out the OpenCongress web site. This nonprofit groups provides a forum for discussion of congressional legislation.

Still want more information? Check out the library's guides to climate change and legislation.