“What is the use of a house if you haven’t got
a tolerable planet to put it on?”
~ Henry David Thoreau
“Climate and weather are not the same thing; climate is long term, weather is short term. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, climate change “refers to a statistically significant variation in either the mean state of the climate or in its variability, persisting for an extended period (typically decades or longer)”. Generally speaking climate change refers to a well-documented, steady warming trend in global average air temperatures, and is related to the steadily increasing quantity of “greenhouse gases” in the atmosphere. The primary sources of these greenhouse gases (GHGs) are the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. At current projected GHG emission levels (called “business as usual”) the global average temperatures are expected to rise 2-6 degrees Celsius by 2100, with widespread and increasing global impacts over time. In early January 2013, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that the year 2012 was the hottest year on record for the continental United States (Eilperin, 2013).
Shasta County is experiencing unpredictable weather, a rise in average ambient temperatures, periodic large storm events, and increased periods of drought due to impacts from climate change. This in turn jeopardizes the health of our forests and water resources and the economy that are dependent on them. Wildland fires, erosion, pest and invasive plant species infestations are expected to worsen and wildlife habitat will become additionally stressed. Water supply may become less predictable, and flooding and drought periods more frequent. This creates added risk to fishery resources, hydroelectric power generation, and local control of our precious water.”
Source: Bryan, L. & Thaler, T., Griffith, G., Morris, J., Crossett, T., Rasker, R. (Eds). 2012. Forest and Water Climate Adaptation: A Plan for Shasta County. Model Forest Policy Program in association with Western Shasta Resource Conservation District, the Cumberland River Compact and Headwaters Economics; Sagle, ID.