Climate Impacts Group

Gusty Winds, Hot Weather and Wildfires: Will Washington See More of This in the Future?

For the third day in a row, relentless winds from the east and northeast helped to significantly increase the fire danger across western Washington amid mounting requests for residents to avoid starting any new fires. Crystal Raymond, climate adaptation specialist, is quoted.  

Multiple Wildfires Devastate Large Swaths Of Areas In Eastern Washington

In Washington state, fires burned more land in a day than they normally burn in entire fire seasons. Crystal Raymond, climate adaptation specialist, discussed the connection between climate change and wildfire for National Public Radio.

“Basically, climate change is loading the dice” when it comes to wildfire risk, Crystal says. “And then you get a wind event, and things are just ready to go.”  

Officials Say Stay Inside: Unhealthy Air Through Wednesday

Smoke from more than two dozen wildfires in central and eastern Washington, as well as some in Canada, covered north Puget Sound Monday night. Crystal Raymond, climate adaptation specialist, is quoted. 

King County’s 2020 Strategic Climate Action Plan Brings “More Equitable Access” to Climate Justice

King County Executive Dow Constantine released the county’s 2020 Strategic Climate Action Plan (SCAP), a five-year blueprint to confront the effects of climate change in our corner of the Pacific Northwest. CIG Director Amy Snover is quoted.

“The science is clear: human-caused climate change is underway,” said Amy Snover, director of the University of Washington’s Climate Impacts Group. “Unfortunately, it’s not enough to work to stop climate change. We now also need to prepare for its consequences, which is why the plan’s focus on climate preparedness is so important.” 

New King County Climate Plan Calls for 50% Cut in Emissions by 2030, 80% by 2050

King County would aim to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 and 80% by 2050, while it simultaneously pushes to prepare for the inevitable disruptions of climate change, under an updated climate plan proposed Thursday by County Executive Dow Constantine. CIG Director Amy Snover is quoted. 

NW CASC’s Amy Snover Discusses Value of CASC Program with WA Representative Derek Kilmer

The Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center’s (NW CASC) University Director, Dr. Amy Snover, recently talked with WA Representative Derek Kilmer about the unique work of the Climate Adaptation Science Centers and how Congress’ continued support for building climate resilience through investments in the CASC program is helping the Northwest and the country as a whole prepare for and adapt to a changing climate.

Dr. Snover explains, “The real happy secret about climate adaptation is that there are folks on the ground in communities all around this region – in our local governments, in our tribal entities, in our state and federal agencies – who are thinking about these climate risks and are doing their best to prepare for them. 

Conservation Planning for a Wild and Thriving Cascadia

With ever-shrinking pristine habitats across the region and globe, wildlife is often hard-pressed to find a place to call home. Even if they find a suitable home today, the question remains if it will still be suitable tomorrow. With climate change already underway and increasing human presence in wild landscapes, land managers and conservation organizations continually wrestle with this issue here in the Pacific Northwest and across the world.

These complexities make conservation planning difficult, but the Cascadia Partner Forum is an organization primed to tackle it. Its focus is on Cascadia, an area rich in both plant and animal diversity that encompasses much of Washington and southern British Columbia. 

Conference Travel and Carbon Emissions: In the Midst of COVID-19, Some People Are Doing the Math

Hundreds of science organizations are moving their in-person conferences to virtual to slow the spread of coronavirus, prompting some to consider whether virtual conferences may be part of the “new normal.” Dr. Heidi Roop is quoted in this article from KQED.

“There isn’t yet a pick-your-own-adventure conference virtually, where you could be in-person or virtual. My hope is we start thinking seriously about it, not just because of the pandemic, but because of our carbon footprint and the environmental impact of all the traveling,” Heidi says. 

Beyond video games: virtual reality brings science to life

Work led by CIG scientist Heidi Roop and supported by an EarthLab Innovation Grant is highlighted in this article by the UW College of the Environment. 

Reflecting on 50 years of Earth Day in the Northwest

This year, people couldn’t get out to pick up trash but instead had to celebrate Earth Day virtually. Director Amy Snover was interviewed for KING5.