[ad_1]
FACULTY Q&A
University of Michigan climate scientist Jonathan OverpeckThe challenges and opportunities that climate change presents for Michigan are discussed. Overpeck is the Samuel A. Graham Dean at the School for Environment and Sustainability. He has been working on climate change for over 35 years and has lived on five continents.
He has been heavily involved on multiple reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He has also testified before Congress numerous times about climate change. Overpeck currently serves as a member of Gov. Whitmer’s Council on Climate Solutions and on Ann Arbor’s Energy Commission.
Why is climate changing so important for Michigan and the planet as a whole?
Jonathan Overpeck
The 21st century’s most pressing global problem is climate change. Everyone on the planet will be affected, even if they haven’t already been impacted. Future generations will be most affected. Natural systems are also being affected. For example, there is a growing wildfire crisis out West, coral reefs are bleaching throughout the tropics, the Amazon rainforest is at grave risk, and climate change has a very real chance of driving the sixth major mass extinction in Earth’s history. Despite knowing a lot about the problem, its causes, and the solutions to it, the crisis continues to grow due to the inability to take swift action to address it.
Michigan is being considered a climate refuge. This means that it is less likely to be affected by climate change than other states, especially in the south and along the coasts. The climate crisis is becoming a drought and water crisis in some parts of the U.S., whereas the Great Lakes hold over 80% of North America’s surface freshwater. Michigan can only be a refuge from climate change if climate change is not allowed to escalate.
How does climate change affect Michigan?
My career as a climate scientist began with the belief that all climate change impacts would be a distant future. Our research was mostly academic. How will climate react to rising levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere? How will changing climate affect things that matter to humans? Fast forward to the year 2022, and most of the impacts we’re seeing are ones we expected. The biggest surprise is how fast climate change impacts are increasing than we thought.
Climate warming is clear in terms both of the hotter heat waves in summer and the warming waters in Great Lakes. We predicted an increase in rainfall intensity, and recent change has eclipsed what we predicted: We’re now getting regular flooding in Detroit and elsewhere around the state. We’re also seeing dam failures, and increased snow and rain runoff from farms into the Great Lakes, where the resulting increase in nutrient runoff combines with the warmer waters to generate worsening harmful algal blooms. It is evident that our 20th-century infrastructures and practices are being overtaken by the 21st century climate.
Climate change poses a major challenge for Michigan farmers and growers. Climate change has made it more difficult for farmers and growers to plant crops and produce fruits. The challenges facing the state’s agricultural communities include stronger storms, more severe dry spells, and more extreme rainfall during the summer months.
Many Michiganders now know what it’s like to deal with record extreme water-level changes on the Great Lakes. Climate change is making it more difficult for many other countries as well. It’s critical to acknowledge that some of our least affluent fellow citizens are getting hit disproportionately with the costs of increased flooding and extreme heat.
What happens if climate change isn’t stopped?
Climate change is a growing threat to the lives and livelihoods of everyone on the planet and across the nation. The U.S. West is a leading example of climate change. The 22nd year of the most severe drought in 1,200 years has brought with it an unprecedented water crisis for the Southwest and an expanding wildfire crisis that stretches from Mexico to Canada. Deadly heat waves have become an annual occurrence. Elsewhere, sea-level rise is starting to take its toll, plus tropical storms and hurricanes supercharged by climate change are racking up costs like never before in our nation’s history.
The good news is that Michigan’s climate change woes are not as challenging as in the West, the South or along our nation’s ocean coasts. As climate change worsens, Michigan may be a destination where businesses and people may want to relocate. Even with aggressive action to stop climate change, we will still have to endure impacts that are roughly double what we have already experienced—this extra climate change is unavoidable because of delayed climate action. We must therefore design Michigan that is more resistant to climate change.
It’s possible that things could get even worse in Michigan if climate change is not addressed. The combination of record-breaking heat and droughts could lead to more severe flooding and more frequent flooding. The latter will undoubtedly result in more wildfires, and greatly increased agricultural impacts. Absent sufficient climate action, we will also see many more summer days above 100°F in southern Michigan, which when combined with high humidity could prove very unhealthy to those outside. Harmful (toxic algal blooms) will increase in all Great Lakes. In addition, Michigan will likely see an increase in insect-borne diseases due to the colder weather.
What can we do in Michigan to stop climate change?
There are more good news. Michigan has already made efforts to stop climate change. They just need to accelerate them. Already, wind and solar energy have fallen rapidly, making them an affordable alternative to fossil fuel-based energy sources. Similar to the rapidly falling costs, electric cars, trucks and buses will be the most affordable option. This will allow us to get rid of internal combustion engines.
The University of Michigan is committed towards carbon neutrality. It will use shallow geothermal heating, cooling, renewable energy, battery storage and electrified mobility to achieve this goal. Fortunately, the governor’s new MI Healthy Climate Plan describes an even wider range of aggressive climate action needed to stave off climate change disaster in Michigan. We have all the necessary technologies and plans to stop climate change. We just need to act faster to put these technologies into action.
What is the state’s opportunity?
There is more good news. Affordable and prompt climate action prevents Michigan from becoming a climate catastrophe. It also positions Michigan as a major economic winner in rapidly expanding markets for clean energy sustainable solutions. Most people reading this will already understand that Michigan’s mobility industry is well-positioned to benefit greatly as the whole planet transitions to electric cars, trucks, buses, etc. As the global economy transitions away from fossil fuels, Michigan could see an increase in businesses that offer other knowledge and technological solutions.
The ability to attract innovative companies and workers to Michigan is key to creating a low-carbon, robust economic engine. These companies will be able to partner with our top universities to provide solutions not only in Michigan but all around the world. To attract this talent, Michigan must be a climate leader in its own backyard and a state that is a climate refuge. This means a state that has well-paying jobs, beautiful surroundings, and a reasonable cost of living. A state with a sustainable, just, and prosperous economy.
Is it too late for climate change mitigation? Are you still hopeful?
It’s not too late for climate change to be addressed, and I believe there is still hope. I moved back from the Southwest to Michigan because I believed Michigan could be a winner in climate change. I worry, however that slowing down on climate action could lead to a disaster for the country and the planet. We just can’t let climate change get too large, because if it does, it could get out of control. We all need to work together to stop climate change, create opportunities that benefit everyone in Michigan (rural and urban), and build a strong economy that will only grow in the future.
My hope is to create a Michigan climate action engine that will serve as an example for others and show that we can both avoid climate catastrophe and create a strong, sustainable, and just economy.
Written by the School for Environment and Sustainability
