CLIMATE CHANGE REPORT HIGHLIGHTS THREAT TO NEW ENGLAND BUSINESS, PREDICTS WIDESPREAD DISRUPTION OF REGION'S NATURAL HABITAT

Warming Could Be Death Knell to Fall Foliage, Spring Syrup

Portsmouth, NH (August 30, 2000) - Climate change could lead to the loss of huge areas of wildlife habitat, and cause the eventual extinction of some species in the most vulnerable parts of the world, according to a report and regional impact analysis released today by Clean Air-Cool Planet, a new regional nonprofit organization, and by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

The study, entitled "Global Warming and Terrestrial Biodiversity Decline," and the Northeast Forest Impact Analysis conclude that habitat in more than a third of northern New England and New York - including millions of acres in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont - faces the risk of rapid warming, changes in the timing of seasons, and possible increases in the incidence of severe weather like ice storms, flooding and drought. Climate conditions that now support northern hardwood forests could shift up to 300 miles northward in the next century. Vital regional industries like forestry, tourism, skiing and maple syrup production stand to be seriously harmed.

"Climate change is real, and it's already affecting New England," stated Adam Markham, Executive Director of Clean Air-Cool Planet, and co-author of the Report. "We must act rapidly and resolutely to take actions in the Northeast to find solutions to the climate problem and prevent damage to key economic sectors. New England should seize the opportunity to step out in front of the rest of the country by capitalizing on its intellectual and technological leadership to become first in the nation with climate solutions."

The impact study and two other reports released today describe the serious harm that climate disruption could visit on vulnerable regional business and the local economy, particularly tourism, recreation and forestry. For example, tourism pours nearly $9 billion a year into the New Hampshire economy, and more than 10% of all jobs in the state are related to it. The White Mountains are within a day's drive of 77 million people, and they receive more visitors each year than Yellowstone and Yosemite national parks combined. In Maine, the timber industry produces $8.5 billion in annual revenue, and employs 12% of the workforce. More than 300,000 work in the forestry and forest products sector in New England and New York. Maple syrup production is a $20 million industry in the region.

"Our study demonstrates that climate change places key sectors at risk of substantial financial loss, not to mention the potential disruption of natural resources like blazing autumn foliage, abundant winter snow for skiing and sweet maple syrup in spring that are central to New England's heritage and cornerstones of its identity," said Markham. Two other documents co-written by Markham also were released with the WWF report today: "Speed Kills: Climate Change and the Threat to Global Biodiversity," an essay, and "Climate Change and the Northern Forest", an impact analysis.

The report also highlights these additional regional threats from climate change:

• Spread of Lyme Disease, promoted by warmer winters, and, possibly, West Nile Virus, which has been able to establish itself in the region partly as a result of droughts and other weather disruptions;
• Radical transformation of the 25-million acre Northern Forest, the largest area of intact forest remaining in the eastern United States. It stretches 400 miles from Lake Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean, encompassing nearly all of northern Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, as well as the Adirondack region of New York. Global warming threatens to change much of this expanse into a deciduous woodland of a type now found 300 miles to the south;
• Increased incidence of drought and destructive weather events like the 1998 ice storm that damaged 17 million acres of forest in the Northeast United States and Canada;
• Spread of insect pests that affect commercially important and recreational forests, including the gypsy moth, eastern spruce budworm, pine bark beetle and hemlock wooly adelgid; and
• Pressure on species in the most heavily affected areas to shift their ranges as much as 10 times faster than they were forced to at the end of the last ice age. This will prove to be impossible for many species. Such unusually high migration rates are likely in more than 18,000 square miles of habitat in Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire and New York - an area larger than all of southern New England.

On a global basis, the Clean Air-Cool Planet and WWF report states that, if warming continues at its present rate, one-third of the world's plant and animal habitats will be radically altered and most likely severely compromised. Species most at risk are those that live in isolated habitats, although others will suffer as well. In the Northeast, habitat loss resulting from climate destabilization is likely to affect the spruce grouse and the Bicknell's thrush, both rare and isolated species in the forested mountains of New Hampshire and Maine; the monarch butterfly, so familiar to New Englanders, by altering the habitat of its Mexican wintering grounds; martens, fishers and snowshoe hares, as their natural range shifts northward; and several species of songbird - including bay- breasted, Cape May and Tennessee warblers - from dramatic range alterations as well.

"Climate change may descend upon us faster than the speed of life," Clean Air-Cool Planet's Markham said. "As its effects are increasingly felt, plants and animals will be forced to migrate to find new habitat in suitable climate conditions."

"Whole habitats are likely to be lost," he added. "Most of the northern spruce and fir forest in the northeastern U.S. ultimately could be irretrievably harmed. And cold-weather species like the sugar maple eventually are likely to be completely driven out of the New England and New York, thereby sounding the death knell for the region's maple syrup industry."

On a global basis, the report notes that local species loss may be as high as 20% in the most vulnerable arctic and mountain ecosystems like northern Alaska, the southern Canadian Arctic Islands, the Canadian boreal forest, Russia's Tamyr Peninsula and southeastern Australia. Russia, Canada, Kyrgystan, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Uruguay, Bhutan and Mongolia are likely to lose 45% or more of current habitat, while many coastal and island species will be at risk from the added threats of warming oceans, sea-level rise and the need to find new territory fast.

"Such extensive habitat loss will put increasing numbers of species at risk," stated Dr. Jay Malcolm, Professor of Forestry at the University of Toronto, and lead author of the WWF report. "The combination of habitat loss and the rapid migration rates that will be needed for species to keep up with the change is likely to lead to the extinction of a variety of plants and animals. Species in the higher latitudes of the northern hemisphere, where warming will be the greatest, are particularly at risk."

Conditions today make it far harder for species to move than ever before, according to the report. Even if species are biologically able to migrate fast enough, they will have to contend with humans as well as with roads, cities and farms. The need to move quickly over large distances will particularly threaten rare, isolated or slow-moving species, and will favor weeds and pests that can move, reproduce or adapt fast.

These predictions are based on a moderate estimate that concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere will double during the 21st century from pre-industrial levels. However, some projections suggest that emissions may in fact triple if action is not taken to rein in the inefficient use of fossil fuels like coal and oil to produce energy. In this case, the effects would be even more severe.

"Surely it is time for world leaders to admit that we cannot afford to wait to reduce greenhouse gases," said Jennifer Morgan, Director of WWF's Climate Change Campaign. "Urgent action is necessary at the world climate summit this November in The Hague, if we are to prevent a catastrophe that will disfigure our world out of all recognition."

Founded in 1999 Clean Air-Cool Planet inspires coordinated action among citizens, businesses, government and their leaders to achieve real reductions in greenhouse gases throughout the Northeast. Clean Air-Cool Planet is based in Portsmouth, N.H.

Known worldwide by its panda logo, WWF is the world's largest and most experienced conservation organization, with 4.7 million supporters and a global network active in some 100 countries. WWF's mission is to protect nature and the biological diversity we all need to survive.

NB: The report, the summary, and the Northeast forest impact analysis have been posted on WWF's website: www.worldwildlife.org/climate/climate.cfm.

About Clean Air-Cool Planet
Clean Air- Cool Planet inspires coordinated action among citizens, businesses, government, and community leaders throughout the Northeast to achieve reductions in greenhouse gases. CA-CP has forged effective partnerships with major businesses and corporations in the region, including Shaw’s Supermarkets, The Timberland Company, and Verizon. Visit www.cleanair-coolplanet.org.

Contact: Clean Air-Cool Planet
Bill Burtis, Communications Manager, (603) 422-6464 ext. 105
bburtis@cleanair-coolplanet.org