Page - 172 - in Water, Energy, and Environment - A Primer

10.1.4 Whatare thepotential short- and long-term impactsofglobalwarmingandclimatechangewith respect towatersupply, environment, andhealth? What is theanticipated timescale for these impacts? I admit to being extremely concerned about globalwarming and itsmanypotential impacts on humanwelfare. I amdisturbed by the fact that those least responsible for global warming and the resultant climate change – for example, island nations – are likely to suffer themost serious impacts. I amalso disappointed with those scientists and politicians who continue to deny the scientific basis for concern about global warming when the consensus among scientists is overwhelming, an unusual situation in science. I believe it is a failure forwhich the climate deniers andminimizers shouldbeheld accountable. As stated earlier in Chapter 4, ‘climate change is worthy of our most careful attention.’ In most countries these concerns would lead to executive action and legislative hearings as a precursor to legislative responses.Suchhearings tookplace in the USduring theObamaAdministration,andmuchuseful testimony on the potential impacts of global warming and climate change was obtained from climate science experts (66). I will draw on this testimony to answer the question of potential impacts. (Note: With the advent of the Trump Administration, and the control of both houses of the US Congress by the Republican Party, no further hearings on global warming have been held.) In the followingIquote fromthehighlightsof their testimonies. Dr Donald Wuebbles, Professor and Atmospheric Scientist, Department ofAtmospheric Sciences,University of Illinois • ‘TheUS and the global climate is changing now and this change is apparent across a wide range of observations. The evidence indicates that most of the climate change of the past 50years is primarily due to humanactivities.’ Water,Energy, andEnvironment–APrimer172