Ohio
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 Ohio
Below are some of the potential impacts:
- By 2100 temperatures in Ohio could increase by 3°F in winter, spring, and summer (with a range of 1-6°F) and 4°F in fall (with a range of 2-7°F). 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. Ohio, with its irregular, intense heat waves, could be susceptible.
- Floods occur in Ohio nearly every year. In a warmer climate, rainfall could be higher and storms could be more intense. Wetter conditions would increase water availability, but could increase flooding. Areas such as the Maumee and Blanchard river basins and the lowlands south of Columbus are susceptible to flooding. In the northern and western parts of the state, erosion of farmland can be severe.
- Increased rains could exacerbate levels of pesticides and fertilizers in runoff from agricultural lands and sedimentation of navigation channels. It also could increase acid drainage from mining activities in eastern and southeastern Ohio.
- The availability of water has helped Ohio develop a diverse economy: agriculture in the north and west, manufacturing in the northeast, and timber and mining industries in the southeast. Urban and industrial centers also have developed along Lake Erie, the Ohio River, and the navigational canals and rivers that join them. Surface water is the primary source of water for these activities. Thus, drinking water quality, urban and industrial discharges, and storm water overflows are important water quality issues in Ohio, which will likely be exacerbated in a warmer climate.
- With changes in climate, the extent of forested areas in Ohio could change little or decline by as much as 30-50%. Even if there is no decline in forested area, the types of trees dominating those forests and woodlands are likely to change. In a warmer climate, forested areas could be increasingly dominated by pine and scrub oaks, replacing many of the eastern hardwoods common throughout Ohio forests.
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 Ohio in areas such as water resources, agriculture, forests and ecosystems, you can download pdf of full EPA Report.
CO2: How Does Your State Rank?
Ohio 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.
Ohio participates in the following:
Midwest GHG Registry
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.
