Issue:
Changes in greenhouse gases and aerosols constitute key factors in
global and regional changes in temperature, precipitation, and other climate variables,
resulting in local and regional changes in soil moisture, an increase in global mean sea l
evel, and prospects for more high temperature, extreme weather events, floods, and droughts
in some places. Funded by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and US Global Change
Research Program (USGCRP), Southern University (SU) Scientists and their collaborators have
being conducting an integrated assessment of consequences of climate change for the Gulf
Coast region. The specific territory covered by the assessment encompassed the Gulf Coastal
Plains and coastal waters of southern Texas, southern Louisiana, southern Mississippi,
southern Alabama, and western Florida. The overall goal is to analyze and evaluate
potential consequences of climate variability and change for the region in the context of
other pressures on the people, environment, and natural resources of the region. This
assessment is one a vital part of the US National Climate Change Assessment. SU scientist
Dr. Zhu H. Ning is the Director of the Gulf Coast regional assessment.
What Has Been Done?
Scientists at Southern university
have incorporated ecological, economic, social, and cultural values and conducted an
assessment of climate change and its impacts to the society. We have used ecological models
to predict the how climate change would impact the coastal ecosystem such as wetlands and
forest; assessed impact of climate change on coastal flooding; evaluated the impact of
climate change on the incidence of hurricanes and forest fires; assessed the impact on
aquaculture; and conducted survey to assess people's perception on climate change. Our
assessment emphasized the impact of climate change on the minority communities by assessing
socio-economical impacts on the small limited resource farmers, minority forest/woodland
owners, and socially and economically disadvantaged communities.
Impact: The research results are published in peer-reviewed
publications, including 5 books, 10 technical reports, numerous articles, and abstracts. The
assessment provided answers to four questions asked by stakeholders: 1.What are the current
environmental stresses and how are they likely to play out in the future without a change in
climate or climate variability? 2. How will a change in climate or climate variability affect
these environmental stresses? 3. How can people cope with climate variability and change in
ways that help with other environmental stresses? 4. What research is needed to better
estimate the consequences of climate variability and change? These results contributed to
the national climate change assessment. The findings of this research have been used by the
International-Government Panel on Climate Change and the US National Climate Change
Assessment, for their reports and in their decision and policy making process. The books by
the scientists are being requested internationally. These books are used as text books and
are cited in publications by other scientists. To obtain copies of above mentioned assessment
publications, please contact Dr. Ning at zhu_ning@suagcenter.com or visit
http://www.usgcrp.gov/usgcrp/Library/nationalassessment/gulfcoast/default.htm
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