Deep South, biggest Climate Deniers, will be among worst hit by Global Warming

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http://www.juancole.com/2015/08/climate-deniers-warming.html

Deep South, biggest Climate Deniers, will be among worst hit by Global Warming
By contributors | Aug. 6, 2015
Tan Copsy | ( Risky Business)

Atlanta, Georgia – The Southeastern United States and Texas are uniquely at risk from climate change, according to a new report by the Risky Business Project – a non-partisan initiative chaired by Hank Paulson, Michael R. Bloomberg, and Tom Steyer. The report finds that across the region there is potential to significantly reduce these risks if policymakers and business leaders act to reduce emissions and adapt to a changing climate.

The report, Come Heat and High Water: Climate Risk in the Southeastern U.S. and Texas, finds that, across the Southeast, the average number of days above 95 degrees Fahrenheit is likely to increase from an average 9 days per year to up 62 days per year by mid-century. By the end of this century, this number will likely increase to 124 days per year.

Extreme heat will harm the health of people in the Southeast. Over the next 25 years, Texas will likely see up to 2,580 additional deaths per year and Florida up to 1,840 additional deaths per year due to the increase in extreme heat. By mid-century, these two states combined are likely to see up to almost 10,000 additional deaths per year. Elderly people will be particularly vulnerable to these changes, as will children and outdoor workers.

“Rising heat and humidity pose severe risks to the health of citizens across the Southeast, especially among the elderly, the infirm, and populations that do not have access to reliable air conditioning” said Risky Business Project Risk Committee member Dr. Al Sommer. “In the Southeast, where we are likely to see new temperature records, we will need better emergency response systems.”