Key Findings from "The Assessment of Climate Change in the Southwest United Stat

Presenter: Gregg Garfin, UA School of Natural Resources and the Environment and Institute of the Environment

Title: Key Findings from "The Assessment of Climate Change in the Southwest United States"

When: Jan. 25th at 10:30 am

Location: Marshall Building, 5th floor, rm. 531 (845 N. Park Ave; Google Map )

The Southwest is one of the most sensitive regions to climate change in the U.S. A soon-to-be-released synthesis report will provide the most comprehensive update on the state-of-the-science on climate changes and impacts for Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The report, "The Assessment of Climate Change in the Southwest United States," documents that the Southwest will likely experience continued temperature increases, summer heat waves longer and hotter than experienced in the past, and reduced streamflows, among other climate and ecosystem changes. The report also highlights potential critical changes in key sectors. Agriculture, for example, will likely experience fewer chill-hours, which may force-out some fruit tree producers. Energy production may become less reliable due to potential climate-related increases in demand and declines in power generation efficiency due to increased heat and decreased water supplies. And public health may experience increases in human morbidity and mortality due to increased heat.

For more information about the Southwest Assessment report, visit: http://www.climas.arizona.edu/SWCARR

For more information about CLIMAS and the spring 2013 colloquium series, visit: www.climas.arizona.edu