Bradley Carlin: Studies Reveal Effects of Climate Change in Minnesota
Recent studies published by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) confirm what many Minnesotans have suspected for several years: that our state is getting warmer and wetter. Between 1951 and 2012, annual average temperatures in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul have increased by 3.2 degrees Fahrenheit, even greater than corresponding increases nationally and globally. Average low temperatures have risen more quickly than average high temperatures, with northern parts of the state being even more affected than central and southern portions.
On the precipitation side, total amounts increased by more than 20% in the Twin Cities between 1951 and 2012, with most of that increase coming in the spring and fall. MPCA models suggest continued increasing statewide precipitation, but not in the summer months. This suggests that future hotter Minnesota summers will also be drier, while the remaining seasons will be wetter and snowier. Corresponding increases in flooding have and will continue to wreak havoc on homes, farms, and businesses statewide. MPCA reports outline some of the current and potential threats that climate change poses for our state’s environmental and economical ecosystems, as well as actions and behaviors contributing to climate change.
MPCA has also studied how climate change is related to environmental justice, which is the study of whether environmental hazards (or benefits) have unequal effects on different groups of people. Unfortunately, the data suggest that people of color and lower-income people are likely to suffer more from the effects of climate change, especially increased heat and decreased air quality. For example, many such persons reside in the Twin Cities, which like many urban areas become a “heat island” in the summer months.
An MPCA report entitled, “Disproportionate Impacts in Minnesota”, examines the impact of air pollution levels for the state of Minnesota. Currently, 32% of Minnesota communities have air pollution-related risks above health guidelines. However, for low-income communities, and communities of color or indigenous communities, that percentage rises to 46% and a shocking 91%, respectively. That is, there is substantial evidence of environmental injustice in Minnesota related to air pollution, and current trends in climate change are only likely to exacerbate the situation. You can learn more by visiting the MPCA websites on the effects of climate change and environmental justice in Minnesota.
