Confronting Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region

The report identifies a warming and potentially drier trend for the Great Lakes region, predicting significant temperature increases and shifts in precipitation patterns by the end of the 21st century. These changes are expected to disrupt aquatic ecosystems, reduce forest diversity, and create economic risks for agriculture and shipping. The document advocates for a three-pronged approach: reducing greenhouse gas emissions, minimizing local environmental pressures, and planning for climate adaptation.

• The Great Lakes region is experiencing warming trends characterized by shorter winters, more frequent extreme heat events, and a decrease in the duration of lake ice cover.
• Climate models predict significant warming by the end of the century, with winter temperatures increasing by 5 to 12°F (3 to 7°C) and summer temperatures by 5 to 20°F (3 to 11°C). The region may become drier overall as increased evaporation and transpiration outweigh increases in rain or snow, with summer soil moisture projected to drop by 30 percent.
• Aquatic ecosystems face risks including the formation of deep-water "dead zones" due to increased summer stratification, a northward shift of warm-water fish species, and potential declines in cold-water species like lake trout and whitefish.
• Forests are expected to undergo compositional changes as boreal forests shrink and species migrate north. Increased heat and dryness may lead to more frequent wildfires, which can further reduce rainfall by releasing smoke particles that interfere with the water vapor cycle.
• Agricultural productivity may be negatively impacted by shifts in precipitation, with wetter periods potentially delaying planting or harvest and dry spells occurring when crops need water. The growing season is projected to increase by four to nine weeks by the end of the century compared to the 1961–1990 period.
• Economic and health impacts include increased shipping costs due to dropping lake levels, losses in winter recreation (such as skiing and ice fishing), and heightened respiratory risks from ozone and air pollutants exacerbated by extreme heat.

APA

Kling, G., Wuebbles, D., Li, Y. (., Hayhoe, K., Lindroth, R. L., Magnuson, J. J., Wander, M., Wilson, M., & Zak, D. (2005). Confronting Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region. Union of Concerned Scientists. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/legacy/assets/documents/global_warming/gl-exec-summary-update-05-doc.pdf

Chicago

Kling, George, Donald Wuebbles, Yue (Michael) Li, Katharine Hayhoe, Richard L. Lindroth, John J. Magnuson, Michelle Wander, Mark Wilson, and Donald Zak. Confronting Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region. Union of Concerned Scientists, 2005. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/legacy/assets/documents/global_warming/gl-exec-summary-update-05-doc.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{kling2005confronting, author = {Kling, George and Wuebbles, Donald and Li, Yue (Michael) and Hayhoe, Katharine and Lindroth, Richard L. and Magnuson, John J. and Wander, Michelle and Wilson, Mark and Zak, Donald}, title = {{Confronting Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2005}, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/legacy/assets/documents/global_warming/gl-exec-summary-update-05-doc.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }