Confronting Climate Change in the U.S. Midwest

The report projects that Indiana will face significantly hotter summers, increased flooding, and agricultural disruptions if heat-trapping emissions continue to rise. It highlights severe risks to public health from heat waves and poor air quality, and suggests that the state transition from its heavy reliance on coal-fired power to renewable energy and energy efficiency to mitigate these effects.

• Under a higher-emissions scenario, Indiana's summer temperatures are projected to increase by more than 3°F over the next several decades and by 13°F toward the end of the century. By the end of the century, every summer in the state is projected to be as hot as or hotter than 1983, which was the hottest summer of the last half century.
• Indianapolis is projected to experience a dramatic increase in extreme heat days toward the end of the century under a higher-emissions scenario, rising from a historical baseline of 17 days over 90°F to more than 80 days, and from about one day over 100°F to 28 days.
• Climate change is expected to worsen air quality in Indiana by increasing ground-level ozone at temperatures over 90°F and exacerbating small particulate pollution (soot) from coal-fired power plants, which increases the risk of asthma and cardiovascular disease.
• Precipitation patterns are projected to shift, with winters and springs becoming 30 percent wetter toward the end of the century under a higher-emissions scenario, increasing flash flooding risks, while summers are projected to see 9 percent less rain.
• Agricultural productivity in Indiana faces significant threats from heat stress and pests; corn yields could decline by as much as 50 percent by mid-century, and warmer winters may allow pests like the corn earworm to expand their range.
• Indiana is the seventh largest producer of global warming emissions in the U.S., with per capita emissions 88 percent higher than the national average, largely because 94 percent of its electricity is generated by coal-fired power plants.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2009). Confronting Climate Change in the U.S. Midwest. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/climate-change-indiana.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Confronting Climate Change in the U.S. Midwest. 2009. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/climate-change-indiana.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Confronting Climate Change in the U.S. Midwest |date=2009 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/climate-change-indiana.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2009confronting, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Confronting Climate Change in the U.S. Midwest}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2009}, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/climate-change-indiana.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }