Climate Impacts Group

Upcoming Panel Event on Wildfire with Director Amy Snover

Dr. Amy Snover, Director of the Climate Impacts Group will serve as a panelist for the upcoming UW School of Environmental and Forest Sciences (SEFS) Seminar “Fired Up: Building Wildfire Resilient Communities in a Changing Climate” on March 27th, 2019. Amy will be joined by Dr. Brian Harvey from SEFS, Dr. Yufei Zou from the UW Pacific Wildland Fire Sciences Laboratory and Nick Lauria from Wildfire Defense Systems. The panel by will be moderated by PEMCO VP of Operations, Harris Clarke.

We hope to see you there!

When: March 27th, 2019 from 3:30-5:30PM; reception to follow

Where: Forest Club Room in Anderson Hall, University of Washington Seattle Campus

Assessing riverside corridors — the ‘escape routes’ for animals under climate change — in the Northwest

Under climate change, plants and animals will shift their habitats to track the conditions they are adapted for. As they do, the lands surrounding rivers and streams offer natural migration routes that will take on a new importance as temperatures rise. An open-access study led by the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group’s Meade Krosby pinpoints which riverside routes in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and western Montana will be the most important for animals trying to navigate a changing climate. The study was published this fall in PLOS One.

“This corridor network is already there, and it’s already important for animal movement,” said lead author Meade Krosby, “Under climate change these will become ‘superhighways’ for animals that are seeking new places to live. 

New CIG Brief Available: No Time to Waste

In October 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released the Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C, describing the expected impacts of 1.5°C and 2°C of warming and outlining global greenhouse gas emission reduction pathways that could limit warming to those levels. This brief summarizes the Special Report (SR15) and related consequences for Washington state.

It addresses these questions: 

How much warming has already occurred, compared to the 1.5°C threshold?
What are the anticipated global consequences of additional warming?
What are the implications for Washington state?
How much more warming is likely to occur, given current emissions patterns and policies?

CIG to provide keynote & host community-wide climate conversation at 7th Annual San Juan Agricultural Summit

Dr. Heidi Roop will give a keynote lecture at the San Juan Agricultural Summit on Sunday, February 3rd. Heidi’s keynote address, “From Coastlines to Crops: What Climate Change Means for the Puget Sound,” will highlight the range of climate impacts we expect in the Puget Sound region. She will share the range of climate impacts we expect in the region, and around the world, and discuss climate change communication best practices. Heidi will also host two community conversations on climate change in the Puget Sound. The first, open to the public, will be held prior the Summit Hoedown at Brickworks in Friday Harbor on Saturday, February 2nd. 

UW Grant Opportunity: EarthLab Innovation Grants

EarthLab is seeking applications for its first round of EarthLab Innovation Grants! Awards of up to $50,000 USD will be awarded to project teams undertaking bold, innovative  transdisciplinary research, scholarship and creative activities related to addressing our most pressing environmental challenges. EarthLab is “looking for risky, cool ideas with impact and the ability to motivate change.” UW faculty and employees with PI status are eligible to apply. Applications are due January 30th, 2019. 

Mapping Future Flood Risk – project update and blog post

CIG research scientist, Guillaume Mauger, recently completed a project mapping the future flood risk in the Stillaguamish and Snohomish Rivers. This project explores two key questions: 1) what is the combined effect of sea level rise and changes in river flooding, and 2) where will the extra water go? 

CIG’s Heidi Roop featured in National Geographic

CIG scientist Heidi Roop recently spoke with National Geographic about the 4th National Climate Assessment and what it means for the Northwest, and our nation. “The message is it’s us, humans, changing the climate,” says Heidi Roop. It’s already affecting “many things we take advantage of every day—our wastewater management, our natural environment, our power generation, our roadways, our food. But the report highlights the other part of that: that people are doing something, and there’s hope.” 

A NW Climate Change Conversation on KUOW

CIG’s Heidi Roop sat down with Bill Radke on KUOW’s The Record to discuss the 4th National Climate Assessment, what climate change means for us in the Northwest and the many relevant actions and adaptations underway across the region. 

Support CIG’s Mission

Did you know you can help to support the work of the Climate Impacts Group? Donations of any size help support cutting-edge climate research, innovative community engagement & valuable hands-on training opportunities for students. Donate today: http://bit.ly/cigdonate 

Volume 2 of the 4th National Climate Assessment Now Available

On November 23rd, the U.S. Global Change Research Program released Volume 2 of the 4th National Climate Assessment – a congressionally-mandated synthesis of climate science and the observed and projected impacts of climate change across the United States. This report is the result of a three-year effort by hundreds of experts around the country. The Climate Impacts Group served as a co-author on the Northwest chapter.

For the Northwest region, the key messages from the report include:

Key Message #1: Natural Resource Economy

“Climate change is already affecting the Northwest’s diverse natural resources, which support sustainable livelihoods; provide a robust foundation for rural, tribal, and Indigenous communities; and strengthen local economies.