Oregon Climate Impacts and Costs

The report details how climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather in Oregon, leading to significant economic losses and infrastructure needs. Key risks include intense heatwaves, devastating wildfires, disrupted water supplies for agriculture, and coastal flooding. The document provides specific cost estimates for adaptations, such as school air conditioning and coastal protection, while outlining the broader systemic risks to public health, fisheries, and the state's $5.7 billion agricultural industry.

• Oregon's average temperature has risen by 2.2°F per century since 1895, and the mean annual temperature is projected to increase by approximately 5°F over the next 50 years, with summer temperatures potentially rising by up to 7.0°F.
• The June 2021 heat dome in the Pacific Northwest caused unprecedented temperatures in Oregon, reaching a record high of 119°F in Jefferson and Wasco Counties, resulting in 119 heat-related deaths and an estimated cost of at least $1.3 billion.
• Rising air and water temperatures are impacting public health and the economy; Lyme disease cases increased from an average of 18 per year (2003-2012) to 46 per year (2013-2022), and a 2015 ocean heatwave cost the West Coast Dungeness crab fishery approximately $150 million.
• Climate change is increasing the frequency and scale of wildfires in Oregon; the mean size of wildfires greater than 5 acres grew from 79 acres in the 1970s to 6,769 acres between 2020 and 2023, with total acres burned in 2020-2023 (2,233,743) exceeding those of the previous decade.
• Drought and changing precipitation patterns threaten Oregon's $5.7 billion agricultural industry, as 85% of the state's water is used for irrigation and the water supply relies heavily on a vulnerable winter snowpack.
• Extreme precipitation is projected to increase, with extreme precipitation days (99th percentile) expected to see up to 20% more rain between 2045-2074 compared to the 1950-2014 period.
• Sea levels along the Oregon coast are expected to rise by up to 1 foot by 2050, potentially causing 26 critical sites to flood twice per year by 2050 and 86 sites by 2100; mitigating these risks may cost the state approximately $7.6 billion by 2040.
• The Center for Climate Integrity estimates that installing and maintaining air conditioning in Oregon's public schools to address rising temperatures by 2040 would cost approximately $173 million.

APA

Center for Climate Integrity (2025). Oregon Climate Impacts and Costs. https://climateintegrity.org/uploads/media/CCI-Oregon-ImpactsAndCosts-2025.pdf

Chicago

Center for Climate Integrity. Oregon Climate Impacts and Costs. 2025. https://climateintegrity.org/uploads/media/CCI-Oregon-ImpactsAndCosts-2025.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for Climate Integrity |title=Oregon Climate Impacts and Costs |date=2025 |url=https://climateintegrity.org/uploads/media/CCI-Oregon-ImpactsAndCosts-2025.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforclimateintegrity2025oregon, author = {{Center for Climate Integrity}}, title = {{Oregon Climate Impacts and Costs}}, institution = {Center for Climate Integrity}, year = {2025}, url = {https://climateintegrity.org/uploads/media/CCI-Oregon-ImpactsAndCosts-2025.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }