Rhode Island

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 Rhode Island

Below are some of the potential impacts:

• By 2100 temperatures in Rhode Island could increase by 4°F (with a range of 1-8°F) in winter and spring and by 5°F (with a range of 2-10°F) in summer and fall. The frequency of extreme hot days in summer would increase because of the general warming trend.
• The smallest state in the country, Rhode Island is almost entirely a coastal area. Its marshes, estuaries, and salt ponds are critical habitats for waterfowl and other migratory birds, as well as for many terrestrial animals. The many streams and rivers that enter Narragansett Bay provide important spawning habitat for shad, herring, and Atlantic salmon. Barrier reef islands such as Block Island in Narragansett Bay are important as refuges for a number of rare and endangered species.
• The fragile coastal ecosystems of Rhode Island are particularly susceptible to destruction as sea level rises and barrier reef islands are inundated, and if the frequency and severity of storms increase. Such losses would reduce coastal habitat that supports diverse sea life and migratory waterfowl.
• At Watch Hill, sea level already is rising by 2 inches per century, and it is likely to rise another 12.4 inches by 2100. The beaches along the Rhode Island coast are highly developed and heavily used by hundreds of thousands residents and out-of-state visitors each year. These beaches have suffered severe damage during hurricanes and storm surges. In general, erosion is most severe at the barrier beaches on the south shore of Rhode Island and bluff areas on Block Island; these areas are likely to erode most if sea level rises. sea level rise update
• Warmer winters, warmer temperatures, and heavy precipitation also can increase harmful algal blooms, that is, red tides; reduce water quality; and increase outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis and giardia. Warmer seas could also contribute to the intensity, duration, and extent of harmful algal blooms in the coastal waters of Rhode Island. These blooms damage habitat and shellfish nurseries and can be toxic to humans.

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

CO2: How Does Your State Rank?

Rhode Island 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.

Rhode Island participates in the following:

Eastern Climate Registry (ECR)

New England Governors: Climate Change Action Plan (NEG-ECP)

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.