Confronting Climate Change in the U.S. Midwest

The report projects that Missouri will face significantly hotter summers, increased flooding, and agricultural disruptions if heat-trapping emissions continue to rise. It highlights severe risks for St. Louis, including extreme heat waves and deteriorating air quality, and suggests a combination of state-level energy efficiency and federal climate legislation to mitigate these effects.

• Under a higher-emissions scenario, average summer temperatures in Missouri are projected to increase by more than 3°F over the next several decades and by 14°F toward the end of the century.
• St. Louis is projected to experience extreme heat increases; by the end of the century under a higher-emissions scenario, the city could see around 105 days over 90°F and more than 43 days over 100°F.
• Extreme heat waves similar to the 1995 Chicago heat wave are projected to become routine in St. Louis, occurring at least six times every summer toward the end of the century under a higher-emissions scenario.
• Climate change is expected to worsen air quality in Missouri, specifically increasing ground-level ozone and particulate pollution, which exacerbates respiratory conditions like asthma.
• Precipitation patterns are projected to shift, with winters and springs becoming more than 20 percent wetter and summers seeing at least 20 percent less rain toward the end of the century under a higher-emissions scenario.
• Missouri's agriculture faces threats from heat stress, which could cause corn crops to fail at 95°F, and the northward expansion of pests such as the corn earworm due to warmer winters.
• Electricity generation is the largest source of emissions in Missouri, accounting for 55 percent of the state's 2005 annual emissions.
• The report argues that Missouri can reduce emissions by increasing energy efficiency, boosting renewable energy (wind, advanced biofuels, geothermal), improving vehicle fuel efficiency, and improving agricultural practices.

APA

Fitzpatrick, M., Freese, B., Wadsworth, B., & Lamm, R. (2009). Confronting Climate Change in the U.S. Midwest. Union of Concerned Scientists. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/climate-change-missouri.pdf

Chicago

Fitzpatrick, Melanie, Barbara Freese, Bryan Wadsworth, and Rouwenna Lamm. Confronting Climate Change in the U.S. Midwest. Union of Concerned Scientists, 2009. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/climate-change-missouri.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Fitzpatrick |first1=Melanie |last2=Freese |first2=Barbara |last3=Wadsworth |first3=Bryan |last4=Lamm |first4=Rouwenna |title=Confronting Climate Change in the U.S. Midwest |publisher=Union of Concerned Scientists |date=July 2009 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/climate-change-missouri.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{fitzpatrick2009confronting, author = {Fitzpatrick, Melanie and Freese, Barbara and Wadsworth, Bryan and Lamm, Rouwenna}, title = {{Confronting Climate Change in the U.S. Midwest}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2009}, month = jul, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/climate-change-missouri.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }