This article is based on a California study that shows what a moderate change in greenhouse gases might bring.
What a moderate change in greenhouse gases could mean
By E-R Staff
Reprinted by ChicoER.com
Article Launched:10/19/2006 12:11:48 AM PDT
A study on greenhouse gases put together by environmental experts for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger offers three scenarios -- best, worst and middle ground over the course of a century.
Choosing the middle-range setting, experts said the environment's temperature would go up 5 to 8 degrees, offered California Environmental Protection Agency Undersecretary Dan Skopec during Wednesday's Great Valley Center forum in Chico.
That much of a temperature increase over a century would cause the world's snowpack to melt by as much as 70 percent to 80 percent.
That creates havoc not only with water supplies, but public safety, recreation and agriculture.
A meltdown would increase the sea level by one to two feet, which means salt water intrusion into the San Joaquin Delta that would be costly to reverse.
Heat-related deaths would increase up to six times what they are now.
For agriculture, more heat means less production. Under heated conditions, cows give less milk, wine grapes ripen too soon and fruit would not be fully developed. The heat could also have an impact on nuts and grain production.
Infectious diseases would increase.
More energy would be needed to run air conditioners, triggering a call for at least
12 major power plants to be built to avoid blackouts.
And California's devastating wildfires would increase. Large-scale fires would be up by 55 percent.
Responding to a question in the audience, Skopec said California car emissions are a large part of the problem, and 40 percent of the greenhouse emissions are from cars.
However, no "crazy new fuels" are needed to cut these emissions.
"The technology is here now. It's an advanced engine that is super efficient."
