Oklahoma

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 Oklahoma

Below are some of the potential impacts:

• By 2100 temperatures in Oklahoma could increase by 2°F (with a range of 1-4°F) in spring, 3°F in summer and fall (with a range of 1-5°F), and 4°F in winter (with a range of 2-6°F).
• It is not clear how the severity of storms such as tornados might be affected, although an increase in the frequency and intensity of summer thunderstorms is possible.
• The frequency of extreme hot days in summer would increase because of 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.
• Oklahoma lies entirely within the Arkansas, White, and Red river basins. The water resources of the state, however, are unevenly distributed. The eastern part of Oklahoma has plentiful surface water, which is used primarily for the municipal supplies of Oklahoma City and Tulsa, for thermoelectric power generation, and for pulp and paper manufacturing. The western part of the state relies primarily on groundwater, which is used principally for irrigation. The largest groundwater withdrawals are in the panhandle, which overlies the High Plains, or Ogallala, aquifer. Oklahoma’s water resources are characterized by long droughts and frequent floods. This situation could be exacerbated by a warmer climate.
• Flooding in urban areas and along tributary streams is a recurring problem in Oklahoma. More intense rains are also expected with climate change, which would increase erosion and sedimentation and exacerbate levels of pesticides and fertilizers in runoff from agricultural areas. It also would increase pollution in runoff from mining areas and oil and gas exploration areas.
• Few states encompass as much natural diversity as Oklahoma. In the southeast, the forests of the Mississippi River floodplain are home to bald cypresses. In the extreme west, piñon and ponderosa pines are found at elevations approaching 4,500 feet. Between these extremes, oak woodlands historically transitioned into tallgrass and shortgrass prairies. Today, in the face of agricultural development, many of these native ecosystems are endangered. Climate change could exacerbate the stresses and threats to these sensitive ecosystems.

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 Oklahoma in areas such as water resources, agriculture, forests and ecosystems, you can download pdf of full EPA Report.

CO2: How Does Your State Rank?

Oklahoma is the highest emitter of C02 of all 50 states and the most populous.

See all rankings

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.

Oklahoma participates in the following:

Western Governors' Association (WGA): Clean and Diversified Energy Initiative

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.