Background Information on Climate Change and Costly Damages in California

The document details the environmental and economic damages in California resulting from climate change, focusing on sea level rise, drought, public health risks, wildfires, and ecosystem decline.

• Sea levels along the California coast rose approximately seven inches over the last century and are projected to rise 10-18 inches by 2050 (relative to 2000) and 31-55 inches by 2100. A 55-inch rise by 2100, combined with a 100-year flood, could endanger 480,000 people and $100 billion in property (in 2000 dollars) across the California coast and San Francisco Bay.
• Climate change has intensified California's droughts by increasing temperatures that drive moisture from soil and plants, potentially increasing water demands by 25%. In 2015, the drought cost the state economy an estimated $2.7 billion. Additionally, the Sierra Nevada's average early spring snowpack decreased by about 10% over the last century, representing a loss of 1.5 million acre-feet of storage.
• Extreme heat and wildfires pose significant health risks in California. A July 2006 heat wave resulted in 140 deaths and over 16,000 excess emergency department visits. Vulnerable populations, including the elderly, infants, and African Americans, face higher risks of hospitalization for conditions like stroke and kidney failure. Furthermore, residents in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods in San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, and Los Angeles are more susceptible to heat-related illness due to the urban heat island effect.
• Wildfire activity has increased in severity and cost; ten of the state's 20 largest fires occurred after 2005. The 2013 Rim Fire burned over 257,000 acres, incurring nearly $126 million in suppression costs and causing between $50 million and $265 million in private property damage, plus $100 million to $736 million in lost environmental benefits. Approximately 375,000 residential properties are considered at very high risk of wildfire damage.
• Climate change is driving biological shifts, with terrestrial and aquatic species moving toward cooler regions or altering growth timing. Among California's 121 native freshwater fish species, 83 percent are at high risk of extinction.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (n.d.). Background Information on Climate Change and Costly Damages in California. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/03/backgrounder-fact-sheet-california-climate-impacts.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Background Information on Climate Change and Costly Damages in California. n.d. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/03/backgrounder-fact-sheet-california-climate-impacts.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Background Information on Climate Change and Costly Damages in California |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/03/backgrounder-fact-sheet-california-climate-impacts.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientistsndbackground, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Background Information on Climate Change and Costly Damages in California}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/03/backgrounder-fact-sheet-california-climate-impacts.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }