The problem: Carbon pollution is fueling global warming

The science of global warming starts with the burning of fossil fuels, specifically in vehicles fueled by Big Oil and at coal-fired power plants owned by utilities and electric power suppliers like Tri-State. When we burn fossil fuels like coal, oil or natural gas, carbon dioxide is emitted into the air. This carbon pollution collects in the atmosphere, where it traps heat from the sun that would otherwise escape into space. That causes the earth’s temperature to rise, which triggers a variety of mostly negative results for Colorado and the planet.

And temperatures are definitely rising. Already, March 2012 was the hottest March on record for the continental U.S., 2010 tied for the hottest year, and the decade of 2001-2010 was the hottest 10-year period on record. The evidence that humans are warming the globe is only strengthening; in the words of a recent report from the U.S. National Academy of Sciences: “Some scientific conclusions or theories have been so thoroughly examined and tested, and supported by so many independent observations and results, that their likelihood of subsequently being found to be wrong is vanishingly small…This is the case for the conclusion that the Earth system is warming and that much of this warming is very likely due to human activities.”    

The results: Extreme weather, air pollution and more

As the planet warms, University of Colorado at Boulder researchers and other experts warn that Colorado will likely experience a variety of negative consequences:

• Drought: Even though we’re likely to see more precipitation fall when it does rain or snow, it’s also the case that a warming world will likely result in longer dry spells in between rainfalls and decreases in snowpack for western states like Colorado. Combined with high temperatures, these dry spells can lead to drought. During the second half of the 20th century, drought became more common in parts of the northern Rockies and less common in parts of the northern Plains and Northeast. Colorado State University climatologists confirmed that this Spring 98% of Colorado suffered the worst drought the state has seen in years. Droughts can wreak havoc in many ways, from lower crop yields for farmers to diminished recreational opportunities and tourism income from skiing, hunting, fishing and more.

• Ruinous wildfire: A drier climate in the west has contributed to an increase in the frequency and severity of wildfires. In 2002, the previous big drought year, Colorado suffered the largest wildfire in its history. That incident burned 915,000 acres of Colorado forest, left nine firefighters dead and destroyed nearly 1,000 structures. Overall, the state lost $1.7 billion in tourism revenue because of that devastating event.

• Water scarcity: Hotter and drier seasons in Colorado and across the west have a significant impact on Colorado and the region’s water supply, affecting drinking water, hunting and fishing opportunities and more. Because of the drought in the Spring of 2012, the primary reservoirs and rivers that provide drinking water to the Denver metro area are at half of their typical averages, according to the National Resources Conservation Service. This has scientists concerned about drinking water supplies, as the diminished reservoirs continue to drain. Scientists predict that the Colorado River Basin and the Colorado River, which supply Denver’s water, will continue to be hit hard by drier seasons and hotter temperatures.

• Smog pollution: Ozone pollution, or “smog,” hangs over our cities on many of the hottest summer days. Since heat is a key ingredient in the formation of smog (pollution from cars, trucks and power plants is the other), scientists predict that we’ll see even more smog in a warming world. That’s a serious health concern, because smog is known to trigger asthma attacks and a variety of other respiratory problems. In fact, a study by the Union of Concerned Scientists predicts that higher levels of ground-level ozone due to rising temperatures in 2020 could lead to 2.8 million more asthma attacks and other respiratory problems, leading to 900,000 additional missed days of school. That’s bad news for all of us, but especially the almost 100,000 kids and over 300,000 adults in Colorado who suffer from asthma. Check out this interactive tool to see how the air in your community stacks up. 

• Heat waves: Just as we can expect average temperatures to rise in a warming world, we can also expect to see more intense and longer-lasting heat waves in Colorado and across the country. These heat waves can threaten the health and well-being of even healthy individuals, as happened in 2011 when at least six high school football players and one coach died during or shortly after practices held in southern states during a period of extreme summer heat.

• Loss of plant and animal species: While you’ve probably heard about the very real threat that global warming poses to the survival of polar bears and other arctic species, other species closer to home could also be threatened in a warming world. For instance global warming has been linked recently to the decline of aspen trees in Colorado, which scientists refer to as “sudden aspen decline.”

• Extreme storms and hurricanes: Higher temperatures lead to more major rainstorms and heavy snowstorms across the country for two reasons: First, warmer temperatures lead to greater evaporation, so more water from our lakes and oceans becomes airborne. Second, warmer air can hold more water vapor. This means that when it rains, the atmosphere will have more moisture to work with, making heavy downpours and more intense hurricanes are more likely—as well as the flooding that often results from these storms. Already, the number of extreme precipitation events increased 24 percent over the continental U.S. between 1948 and 2006, and at least 14 weather-related disasters causing at least $1 billion in damage hit the U.S. in 2011 alone, many of which involved devastating floods. Check out this interactive map for details. 

The solution: Cut carbon pollution, promote clean energy and energy efficiency

Thankfully, we know what we have to do to fight these alarming trends. To give ourselves the best chance of protecting future generations from the worst consequences of global warming, scientists tell us that the U.S. and other developed countries need to cut our carbon emissions so that by 2020 we’re emitting 25-40 percent less carbon into the air than we were in 1990.

That’s a steep goal, but in Colorado and across the country, we’re already starting to move in the right direction. We know we can reduce carbon pollution by cutting down on energy waste through energy efficiency measures, and developing cleaner, renewable energy sources like wind and solar power. We can make our buildings much more energy efficient so that they’re demanding less energy from coal-fired power plants. We can make our cars go farther on a gallon of gas, and expand public transportation systems so that more people can get where they’re going without using their cars at all.

Together, all of these things add up. A recent Environment America report, The Way Forward on Global Warming, found that by adopting a suite of clean energy policies at the local, Colorado and federal levels, the U.S. could reduce carbon emissions by as much as 20 percent by 2020 and 34 percent by 2030 (compared to 2005 levels)—representing a significant down payment toward the pollution reductions called for by scientists.