| September 14, 2009 |  |
Wisconsin Scientists Release Groundbreaking Climate Study
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (September 14, 2009) — A study released today by University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists focusing on the local consequences of global warming in their state represents "groundbreaking work," according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).
The study, was conducted by Dan Vimont, a UW-Madison professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences and colleagues Chris Kucharik, David Lorenz and Michael Notaro.
"This study highlights the very local effects of global warming that towns, counties and states will have to address to effectively adapt to climate change," said Peter Frumhoff, Director of Science and Policy at UCS and a lead author for the United Nations' Nobel-Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. "We need more studies like this one because much of the responsibility for adaptation ultimately will rest with individual localities."
The University of Wisconsin-Madison study examines a scenario in which heat-trapping emissions continue to increase significantly over time, resulting in serious consequences by mid-century. UCS released a study last week contrasting the consequences of a lower-emissions and higher-emissions future for Wisconsin and other Midwestern states by the end of the century. Dramatically reducing heat-trapping emissions as quickly as possible would help the country avoid the worst consequences of climate change over the next century, Frumhoff said. Continuing on a business-as-usual path would lead to much more severe costs.
"We have a broader responsibility at the national and international level to reduce emissions rapidly," Frumhoff said. "The choice is ours—and we need to choose a safer climate for ourselves and our children."
The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet's most pressing problems. Joining with citizens across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future.
