Presidential Transition Recommendations: Climate Change

Background

North America's migratory waterfowl and the habitats they require are valued by society, yet wetlands and associated uplands are among the most vulnerable ecosystems to variations in climate. In fact, climate change poses one of the single greatest threats to ecological goods and services provided by wetland ecosystems to humans. The benefits that these natural resources provide are ecological, social, and economic, and include a host of goods and services.

Climate change threatens wetlands, riparian areas, and floodplains in a number of ways. Projections for the next 100 years indicate extensive warming in many areas, changing patterns of precipitation, accelerating sea-level rise, changing of the timing and length of seasons, declining snow packs, and increasing frequency and intensity of severe weather events. Sea-level rise is regarded as one of the more certain consequences of climate change. The projected two- to five-fold acceleration in rates of global average sea-level rise during the next 100 years would inundate low-lying coastal wetlands. Such reductions in these wetlands would cause loss or degradation of important ecological goods and services, including hurricane and flood attenuation, seafood production, and migratory bird habitat maintenance.

The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of the United States constitutes the most critical nesting grounds for ducks and other wetlands and grassland dependant birds in North America. The disappearance of a significant percentage of wetlands and a reduction in wetland size in this area can be expected with increases in temperatures and/or reduced precipitation. Recent research suggests that the predicted increase in temperatures in the Northern Great Plains over the next 50 years will result in more frequent droughts and declines in the numbers of both prairie wetlands and ducks. The loss of these wetlands will greatly reduce waterfowl and other wetland-dependant migratory bird populations.

Need

Postponing federal action on climate change in the United States will result in an accelerated rise in the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs), thus increasing the likelihood that worst-case scenario climate predictions could become reality. It is imperative that the Obama Administration and Congress move swiftly to adopt effective climate and energy policies that will protect society as a whole and North America's waterfowl, other wildlife, and wetlands and other habitat.

Additional research is required to determine how different types and classes of wetlands mitigate or influence climate change. It is estimated that wetlands, which include only about 6% of the earth's terrestrial area, contain carbon stocks equal to the total atmospheric carbon store. Rising temperatures and reduced water levels will release carbon from wetlands. While peat bogs and other wetlands, riparian areas, and floodplains continue to store vast amounts of carbon, increased temperatures will melt permafrost and cause oxidation of organic soils, releasing significant amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. Adjustments must be made in wetland, riparian zone, and floodplain management and policy to reduce climate impacts and maximize the storage of carbon.

Recommendations

Federal policy must support research on the impacts of climate change on water and wetland resources, while maximizing the various ways these resources can be managed to mitigate the effects of climate change. We recommend that federal climate change and energy policies: (1) set specific limits on the nation's GHG emissions; (2) protect and enhance the ability of forests, grasslands, wetlands, and other natural systems to absorb and store carbon; (3) protect water resources and water quality; (4) strengthen programs to promote energy efficiency; (5) support the development of market-based tools for conservation of environmental goods and services; and (6) accelerate deployment of clean renewable energy sources.

For more on DU's efforts on Climate Change see our Climate Change homepage.