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Climate change could have an even worse impact on Boston than previously expected - T... Page 2 of 22
In the worst-gg^^gnario, sea levels could rise more than 10 feet by the
end of the century — nearly twice what was previously predicted —
plunging about 30 percent of Boston under water. Temperatures in 2070
could exceed 90 degrees for 90 days a year, compared with an average of
11 days now.
And changes in precipitation could mean a 50 percent decline in annual
snowfall, punctuated by more frequent heavy storms such as nor'easters.
The report, by scientists from the University of Massachusetts and other
local universities, has raised concerns in City Hall just two weeks after
Mayor Martin J. Walsh attended a climate summit in Beijing.
"The updated climate projections confirm that we must work together to
take bold approaches to prepare Boston for the impacts of climate
change," Walsh said in a statement.
The report, he said, is part of the city's effort to assess its vulnerability
and to seek solutions. Next year, Boston will host the same climate
conference that Walsh attended, with leaders from some 60 US and
Chinese cities.
"We take climate change seriously, because we take the health and
resilience of our city seriously," Walsh said. "We will continue to focus
on using the best data to inform decisions and understand future
investments."
The updated projections for Boston take into account new research that
suggests the accelerating melt of the ice sheets covering Antarctica will
have a disproportionate impact on cities along the East Coast.
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https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/06/22/climate-change-could-have-even-worse-ini... 8/1/2016