Climate Change in the United States

The document argues that the costs of failing to reduce carbon emissions in the United States are prohibitive, citing projected damages to coastal infrastructure, public health, water resources, agriculture, transportation, and energy systems. It highlights that under high-emissions scenarios, the annual economic impact could reach 1.9 percent of GDP by 2100. Specific regional risks include severe sea-level rise in Florida and the Northeast, extreme heat waves in Midwestern cities, water scarcity in the Southwest, and increased wildfire frequency in the West Coast and Rocky Mountain regions. The document advocates for a reduction of carbon emissions by at least 80 percent from 2005 levels by 2050 to avoid the worst consequences.

• Under a high-emissions scenario, the annual economic impact of sea-level rise, more severe hurricanes, and increasing water and energy costs in the U.S. could reach 1.4 percent of GDP by 2025 and 1.9 percent by 2100.
• Sea-level rise poses severe threats to coastal property and infrastructure. In the Northeast, a rise of 13–20 inches by 2100 could threaten insured property valued at $4.7 trillion. In Florida, a high-emissions scenario could result in annual residential real estate losses of $60 billion by 2100, with 70 percent of Miami-Dade County and 99 percent of the state's mangroves becoming vulnerable to year-round flooding by 2060.
• Extreme heat waves are projected to increase in frequency and intensity. By the end of the century, heat waves that currently occur once every 20 years could occur every other year in much of the U.S., with temperatures approximately 10°F higher. This will disproportionately affect vulnerable populations and increase medical costs, such as a projected $14 billion in heat-related health costs in California by 2100.
• Climate change will disrupt water resources through increased flooding in the Midwest and Northeast and severe water scarcity in the Southwest. In New Mexico, reduced stream flows could cost farmers $21 million annually by 2080. Additionally, changing water levels in the Great Lakes and Mississippi River systems threaten the viability of bulk commodity shipping, potentially reducing revenues for corn, soybean, and wheat producers by $350 million per year.
• Agricultural productivity faces significant risks, including a projected 25 percent drop in farmland value in rain-fed areas of the eastern and central U.S. by mid-century and a 69 percent drop by the end of the century under high-emissions scenarios. Specific impacts include a projected 22 percent fall in California milk production by 2100 and the potential loss of cranberry production in Massachusetts and New Jersey by mid-century.
• Energy infrastructure is vulnerable to both physical damage and increased demand. In the Gulf Coast, which accounts for 30 percent of U.S. crude oil and 20 percent of natural gas production, hurricanes cause significant disruptions. Furthermore, rising temperatures will increase electricity demand for air conditioning, with Florida facing projected annual costs of $19 billion to generate extra power by 2100.
• Wildfires are expected to become more frequent and costly, particularly in the West Coast and Rocky Mountain regions. By 2080, New Mexico could lose $2.2 billion annually in timber value and fire control costs, while Washington and Oregon could face annual property damage costs of $380 million and $497 million, respectively.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (n.d.). Climate Change in the United States. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/climate-costs-of-inaction.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Climate Change in the United States. n.d. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/climate-costs-of-inaction.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Climate Change in the United States |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/climate-costs-of-inaction.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientistsndclimate, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Climate Change in the United States}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/climate-costs-of-inaction.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }