Pew report: Warming trend could wipe out familiar U.S. species

December 19, 2000
Web posted at: 12:25 PM EST (1725 GMT)

(CNN) -- Planetary climate warming induced by human activities will cause ecological havoc in the United States, as plants and animals migrate in a desperate search of new habitats where they can survive, according to a new study.

Familiar species could disappear in some locations. For example in Vermont, oaks may likely replace sugar maples, the state tree. In the West, biologically rich habitats in high mountains could shrink to critically small territories, said the Pew Center on Global Climate Change.

The changes could take place as the Earth warms up a projected 1 to 4 degrees Celsius (1.8 to 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit) over the next 100 years, the Pew center said. Some scientists predict that the rate of climate change could be 10 times greater than that during the last Ice Age.

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"Climate change is likely to profoundly alter the natural environment," said Pew Center Eileen Claussen in a statement. "It underscores the point that domestic and international action to deal with climate change is needed sooner rather than later."

As in other countries, the pace of projected climate change in the United States could disrupt many ecosystems, posing serious dangers to both plant and animal species as they follow the shifting climate.

With human development continuing to destroy and fragment habitat, endangered species will face even greater survival hazards as they attempt to find new suitable ecosystems.

Global warming computer models indicate that certain plants could become much more productive. But such changes would not be consistent throughout the country, according to Pew. Declining productivity would plague some locations.

In a related report, also released last week, the Pew Center said climate change could worsen health risks for humans as well, in particular the elderly, the sick and the poor.

The United States has ample financial resources to forestall the worst health risks, which poorer countries would likely be unable to avoid, according to the Pew Center.

The non-profit organization, which includes many Fortune 500 corporations as partners, was established in 1998 by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

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Pew Center on Global Climate Change
The Pew Charitable Trusts

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