The White House has begrudgingly admitted that “most of the recent global warming is very likely due to human generated increases in greenhouse gas concentrations.” In a 271-page report — court-ordered and four years late — federal scientists have created a “one-stop shop” summary of potential climate impacts on the U.S. environment, economy, and public health. The report predicts stop-us-if-you’ve-heard-this-one heat waves, water shortages, and severe weather (oh my!), and notes that “many of the expected health effects are likely to fall disproportionately on the poor, the elderly, the disabled, and the uninsured.” It also foresees a high-cost expansion of electricity capacity. “It basically says the America we’ve known we can no longer count on,” says biologist Thomas Lovejoy, who reviewed the document. “It’s a pretty dramatic picture of all kinds of change rippling through natural systems across the country. And all of that has implications for people.”
