It is interesting to see what information trickles down "to the street", how long it takes, and how accurate it is by then. Thank you for the reminder and the link to some good information.

According to the book "Understanding Climate Change" (Indiana University, 2009), a collection of research papers about Midwest climate edited by S.C. Pryor, climate change might not be all that bad for the Midwest/corn belt, including Minnesota. A longer growing season, milder winters, increased precip. in F-W-S...all that, and we're in a "warming hole", an area that won't heat up as much as surrounding regions. Oh, and modern agriculture, esp. corn, has apparently increased humidity in the Midwest, mitigating somewhat summertime heat. Rain may not follow the plow, as 19th century superstition held, but apparently it can follow the no-till drill.

That is a possible scenario for Midwest climate about 80 years from now. There are 16 climate models provided by the IPCC used to make these predictions. Some models predict we'll just bake--be hotter and drier. So that's a possibility, too.But there's a good chance climate change won't be so bad, and even beneficial, for the Midwest. (Unless you've built in a floodplain, where you can expect more flooding.)

So what do we do with that information, since it doesn't fit into the "scare the people with a doomsday scenario" tactic?

Please look into "Understanding Climate Change" from Indiana University, 2009, S.C. Pryor, editor. Climate change may not be so bad for the Midwest, except for a likelihood of increased flooding, which would be good for river valley restoration.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has posted on their website a succinct summary of likely impacts in our region. I’ve quoted it below, or you can go to http://www.pca.state.mn.us/cli...pacts.html
to link to their information sources.

Thanks to the MPCA for making this information and the links to scientific sources so easy to find!

I encourage Fresh Energy members to take a look at some of these resources to learn more, and to engage in the public dialogue. What gives me great encouragement is the large number of affordable, available climate solutions that we should be deploying as quickly as possible—many analysts have identified the air, water, climate, and jobs benefits of maximizing energy and fuel efficiency, cutting waste throughout our economy, and taking leadership in clean energy technologies.


From the MPCA website:

Climate Change:
Impacts of Climate Change in Minnesota and the Midwest
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Minnesota is already experiencing impacts from climate change, and will continue to experience impacts to our ecosystems, natural resources, and infrastructure.
Key Impacts in the Midwest:
•During the summer, public health and quality of life, especially in cities, will be negatively affected by increasing heat waves, reduced air quality, and increasing insect and waterborne diseases. In the winter, warming will have mixed impacts.
•The likely increase in precipitation in winter and spring, more heavy downpours, and greater evaporation in summer would lead to more periods of both floods and water deficits.
•While the longer growing season provides the potential for increased crop yields, increases in heat waves, floods, droughts, insects, and weeds will present increasing challenges to managing crops, livestock, and forests.
•Native species are very likely to face increasing threats from rapidly changing climate conditions, pests, diseases, and invasive species moving in from warmer regions.

For a synthesis of local, regional, national, and global impacts, refer to these resources:
•Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States – US Global Change Research Program (2009)
•Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability – Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Fourth Assessment Report (2007)
•Ecological Impacts of Climate Change – The National Academies (2009)
•Confronting Climate Change in the U.S. Midwest – Union of Concerned Scientists (2009)
•Health and Environmental Effects of Climate Change – US EPA
•Maps of Climate Trends and Projections in Wisconsin – Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts
•Regional Impacts of Climate Change: Four Case Studies in the United States – Pew Center on Global Climate Change (2007)
• Confronting Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region: Impacts on our Communities and Ecosystems – Union of Concerned Scientists and Ecological Society of America (2003)
•Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation in Canada – Natural Resources Canada
• The Corn and Climate Report – NOAA, US Climate Change Science Program, North Central Bioeconomy Consortium, Iowa State University (2009)
•Impacts of Climate Variability and Change on Transportation Systems and Infrastructure: Gulf Coast Study – US Climate Change Science Program Synthesis and Assessment Product 4.7 (200