University of Maryland study says climate change will cost states billions
Climate change isn’t just hot, it’s also expensive. That’s the latest from a recent study from the University of Maryland's Center for Integrative Environmental Research.
The center said the continuing climatic shift will spawn a price tag in the billions of dollars a number of states and the costs have already begun to add up and will likely continue.
Dr. Matthias Ruth Photo: publicpolicy.umd.edu
In a recent statement, the university said eight studies projected that long term economic impact of climate change will have a particular affect on Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey and Ohio. Studies on other states are slated for the future.
"We don't have a crystal ball and can't predict specific bottom lines, but the trend is very clear for these eight states and the nation as a whole: climate change will cost billions in the long run and the bottom line will be red," said Matthias Ruth, who coordinated the research and directs the Center for Integrative Environmental Research at the University of Maryland. "Inaction or delayed action will make the ink run redder."
Last year, Ruth oversaw a comparable nationwide analysis and concluded that the total economic cost of climate change in the United States will be significant and affect all regions.
"These new state snapshots can help underscore the extent of damage already experienced in various parts of the country," Ruth said. "We hope the data and the trends can help state and local policy-makers plan for additional changes ahead."
--PGS Staff
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