More Extreme Weather: Implications for Public Health and Social Justice

More Extreme Weather: Implications for Public Health and Social Justice N A T I O N A L W I L D L I F E F E D E R A T I O N 2 0 0 9 ReportC O N F R O N T I N G G L O B A L W A R M I N G Global warming is making hot days hotter, rainfall and flooding... More

More Extreme Weather: Implications for Public Health and Social Justice N A T I O N A L W I L D L I F E F E D E R A T I O N 2 0 0 9 ReportC O N F R O N T I N G G L O B A L W A R M I N G Global warming is making hot days hotter, rainfall and flooding heavier, storms stronger, and droughts more severe. These will be the most visible impacts of global warming in our everyday lives and will have grave implications for public health and social justice. Indeed, our urban infrastructure, flood protection measures, emergency management strategies, and agricultural systems were all developed based on past experience with extreme weather. But, with global warming pushing these extremes beyond their historical limits, we can no longer plan for the future based on past climate conditions. We are already seeing these impacts across the nation. The long-term warming trend is undeniable: according to NASA, the ten warmest years on record globally all occurred within the 12-year period 1997-2008. Less