New Jersey
Global climate change poses risks to human health and to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Important economic resources such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and water resources also may be affected. Warmer temperatures, more severe droughts and floods, and sea level rise could have a wide range of impacts. All these stresses can add to existing stresses on resources caused by other influences such as population growth, land-use changes, and pollution.
Climate Change in New Jersey
Below are some of the potential impacts:
- By 2100 temperatures in New Jersey could increase about 4°F (with a range of 2-8°F) in winter and spring, and slightly more in summer and fall. The frequency of extreme hot days in summer is expected to increase along with the general warming trend.
- Higher temperatures and increased frequency of heat waves may increase the number of heat-related deaths and the incidence of heat-related illnesses. New Jersey, with its irregular, intense heat waves, seems very susceptible.
- There is concern that climate change could increase ozone levels. A 4°F warming in New York City, with no other change in weather or emissions, could increase concentrations of ozone, a major component of smog, by 4%. Similar increases also could occur in New Jersey. Virtually all of New Jersey is classified as an “extreme and severe” nonattainment area for ozone. Ground-level ozone has been shown to aggravate existing respiratory illnesses such as asthma, reduce lung function, and induce respiratory inflammation. In addition, ambient ozone reduces agricultural crop yields and impairs ecosystem health.
- Along much of New Jersey’s coast, sea level already is rising by 15 inches per century, and it is likely to rise another 27 inches by 2100. A large portion of New Jersey’s 130-mile coastline is vulnerable to extensive erosion and flooding from sea level rise and storms. The New Jersey coastline is made up primarily of long narrow barrier islands, low-lying salt marshes, and tidal flats. Because of this topography, sea level rise could inflict extensive damage on New Jersey’s valuable, high-density coastal real estate and recreational beaches. Rising seas also would inundate many acres of New Jersey’s remaining coastal salt marshes and tidal flats that provide flood protection, water quality benefits, and habitat for native species, as marsh plants die or recede to higher elevations. sea level rise update
- Protecting New Jersey’s coast would require significant resources and planning. For example, estimates of the cost of protecting Long Beach Island with seawalls and more sand from a 1-3 foot increase in sea level over the next century are $100-$500 million. These costs could begin to accrue soon and continue to be incurred throughout the next century.
The above are based on from the Environmental Protection Agency's report on climate change, which uses data from the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2001).
For more info on climate change impacts on New Jersey in areas such as water resources, agriculture, forests and ecosystems, you can download pdf of full EPA report.
CO2: How Does Your State Rank?
New Jersey is the highest emitter of C02 of all 50 states and the most populous.
Maps
See CO2 output by sector, coastal population maps, and maps of regional initiatives.
Regional Initiatives
In the absence of federal action, many U.S. states are banding together to explore and employ greenhouse gas-reducing policies.
New Jersey participates in the following:
Eastern Climate Registry (ECR)
Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)
Learn about climate initiatives in all U.S. states and regions
Your Impact
Estimate your CO2 footprint by using a carbon calculator such as the one on the Inconvenient Truth web site.
How green is your energy? The EPA has a power profiler that can tell you.
