Conservation Initiatives Main Energy Main What is Global Warming? Global Warming Solutions Take Action! Clean Car Campaign Cool Cities Energy Policy Coal and Climate Change Energy Grassroots Factsheets and Reports The Biggest Single Step Environmental news, green living tips, and ways to take action: Subscribe to the Sierra Club Insider!

Global Warming Impacts: Deadly Weather Infectious Disease Extreme Weather Conclusions The IPCC projects that more frequent and more severe heat waves will be one lethal effect of global warming. Deadly stretches of hot days, where nighttime temperatures remain high, will become more common. One such event killed over Chicago during the summer of 700 people in 1995. Based indicates on past heat wave events, research that by the year 2020, global warming could cause up to a 145% rise in mortality in New York City. Other major cities could suffer similar problems. Regional climate stress on agriculture may mean up to 300 million additional victims of malnutrition world-wide each year. Extreme floods and droughts are projected to become more severe as global warming worsens. These extremes may threaten the availability and supply of safe drinking water. Diseases associated with flooding, such as cryptosporidiosis, could affect millions more people every year. Extreme weather events, like the abnormal storms and flooding that have devastated many communities across America in recent years, may also become more common. As the number and severity of these events increase they will pose not only an immediate threat to human health and well being, but also bring dangerous long-term consequences. Heatwave deaths in Midwestern cities may soar due to global warming CITY CURRENT DEATHS IN PRESENT CLIMATE 2020 *CLIMATE AVERAGE DEATHS 2050 *CLIMATE AVERAGE DEATHS Buffalo, NY 33 34.3 55.3 Chicago,IL 191 400.7 497.3 Cleveland,OH 29 39 52.3 Detroit,MI 110 162.7 219 Indianapolis,IN 36 55.7 70 Kansas City, MO 49 115 127.3 Minneapolis,MN 59 129.3 174.7 Pittsburgh,PA 39 54 79.7 St. Louis,MO 79 160 185.3 Numbers derived from averages from three models -- United Kingdom Meteorological Model, Global Fluid Dynamics Laboratory Model, and Max Planck Institute for Meteorology Model. Population and metropolitan areas standardized to current levels. Lives spared due to warmer winters estimated to be negligible. Adapted from Laurence S. Kalkstein and J. Scott Greene. NEXT Up to Top HOME | Email Signup | About Us | Contact Us | Terms of Use | © 2008 Sierra Club