Climate Change impacts on Southern California

SCAG, page 52

NOTE: The cause of climate change: Fossil fuel combustion accounts for 98 percent of carbon dioxide emissions. Read more...

Water Supply
One area of considerable concern is the effect of climate change on California's water supply. The snow accumulation in the Sierra Nevada mountains preserves much of Califoria's water supply in "cold storage' for the hot, dry summer.

If winter temperatures are warmer, more precipitation will fall as rain, decreasing the size of the snowpack -- which is a natural water storage system.

Heavier rainfall in winter could bring increased flooding.

Less spring runoff will reduce the amount of water available for hydroelectric power production and agricultural irrigation.

This impact already exists!

Air Impact

Higher temperatures also cause an increase in harmful air emissions -- more fuel evaporates, engines work harder, and demands for electric power increase along with an increase in power plant air pollution.

Air pollution is also made worse by increases in natural hydrocarbon emissions from vegetation during hot weather.

High temperatures, strong sunlight and a stable air mass are ideal for formation of ground-level ozone, the most health-damaging constituent of smog. As temperature rises and air quality diminishes, heat related health problems also increase.

THE USA has the highest emissions of greenhosue gases of any nation on Earth.

In California, more than half of the fossil fuel emissions of carbon dioxide are related in some way to transportation.

Fossil fuel combustion accounts for 98 percent of carbon dioxide emissions.

California's solutions need to start NOW:

- Reduce traffic congestion
- Reduce critical air pollutants
- Reduce emissions of greenhouse gases from mobile sources.

To learn more about greenhouse gases and climate change, go to www.arb.ca.gov