by Jbs050710b3 — May 14, 2010—A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report, Climate Change Indicators in the United States, finds an increase in climate change phenomena such as heat waves, storms, and rising sea levels. EPA calls for continued actions to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to help solve this global challenge.
The data used in this report were collected by several government agencies, academic institutions, and other stakeholder organizations. As new data and information become available, EPA plans to update and broaden the indicators in future reports.
The findings include:
- Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities are increasing. Between 1990 and 2008, there has been about a 14 percent increase in emissions in the United States.
- Average temperatures are rising. Seven of the top 10 warmest years on record for the continental United States have occurred since 1990.
- Tropical cyclone intensity has increased in recent decades. Six of the 10 most active hurricane seasons have occurred since the mid-1990s.
- Sea levels are rising. From 1993 to 2008, sea level rose twice as fast as the long-term trend.
- Glaciers are melting. Loss of glacier volume appears to have accelerated over the last decade.
- The frequency of heat waves has risen steadily since the 1960s. The percentage of the U.S. population impacted by heat waves has also increased.
The information included in this report will help inform future policy decisions and evaluate the success of climate change efforts, says EPA.
