Climate Week 2024: It’s Time

As the leaves begin to fall, let's not forget to uplift the importance of Climate Week. Climate change is impacting wildlife across the country in countless ways. For Climate Week, learn how green jobs and civic engagement play a vital role in our economy, how energy systems can reduce emissions to tackle climate change, and the importance of health within communities during inclement weather because: it's time!

Nature and Wildlife

Pika at Rock Cut during late summer. Credit: Ann Schonlau/NPS

In the sky, on land, and in the sea, wildlife everywhere are feeling the heat from climate change. Many are familiar with the plight of polar bears, who are losing their feeding grounds as sea ice continues to melt in the Arctic. But they are not the only species struggling under higher temperatures.

The American pika is a tiny, rabbit-like mammal built to survive its whole life in the high-altitude alpine terrain of the West. But when temperatures rise to even 78 degrees, they can fatally overheat-and have already begun to disappear from parts of their habitat in several states. Warmer and earlier springs are also impacting hibernating and migratory species like songbirds and native bumblebees, causing them to return to their spring habitats too early or putting them out of sync with their regular food sources.

As temperatures and sea levels rise, ocean life also struggle under climate change. For the North Atlantic right whale, one of the world's most endangered whales, climate change exacerbates other threats to their survival. As their prey move outside their usual locations and become less available due to warming ocean temperatures, right whales have also changed their distribution patterns-moving to areas in the ocean where they have less protection against vessel strikes and entanglements. And coral reefs may be the most visibly impacted, as high ocean temperatures can lead to infectious diseases and coral bleaching that can kill off entire ecosystems.

Nature is struggling to adapt to a changing climate, but it is also part of the solution. Natural climate solutions alone, such as conserving and restoring wetlands, forests, and oceans, could eliminate one third of the greenhouse gas emissions the world needs to cut in order to avoid the worst effects of climate change. These solutions also protect human communities from extreme weather and flooding, such as through maintaining mangrove forests that can buffer against storm surges.

Green Jobs

Two workers clean the wind turbines at NREL's (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) National Wind Technology Center just outside of Boulder, Colorado. Credit: Dennis Schroeder/DOE

As we continue to tackle the climate crisis, the growth of green jobs will play a vital role in transitioning to a sustainable economy. Green jobs encompass a wide range of careers aimed at reducing pollution, conserving resources, and protecting our planet for future generations. From renewable energy technicians installing solar panels and wind turbines to conservation specialists restoring habitats, these roles are critical to fighting climate change while boosting the economy.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs related to wind energy and solar power are among the fastest-growing in the renewable energy sector. Wind turbine service technicians are expected to see a 45% increase in employment between 2022 and 2032, while solar photovoltaic installers are projected to grow by 22% over the same period. Both roles play essential parts in maintaining and installing renewable energy systems, reflecting the ongoing shift toward cleaner energy sources.

Investing in green jobs not only helps mitigate climate change but also provides equitable pathways to employment, especially for communities most affected by environmental challenges. These roles are crucial in driving the low-carbon transition and ensuring a healthier, more resilient future for both people and wildlife.

Civic Engagement and Democracy

Climate impacts are far-reaching, affecting communities everywhere. So it is important that local leaders, congressional representatives, and federal and state agencies hear from as many people as possible about those impacts.

It also is important that every person is able to exercise their right to vote, giving them an opportunity to have a say on issues related to climate and more. In a strong democracy, voting gives individuals, regardless of viewpoint, the opportunity to voice their concerns about the issues they care about, whether it is climate change, wildlife conservation, the environment, the economy, or other issues affecting our communities.

Transportation and Energy Transmission

Credit: Oregon Department of Transportation

The transition of energy and transportation systems is essential for reducing emissions and tackling climate change. The transportation sector alone is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., contributing around 27% of the nation's total in 2020, largely from the combustion of fossil fuels in vehicles. To decarbonize transportation, efforts have focused on increasing the use of electric vehicles (EVs), which are forecasted to make up 52% of global car sales by 2030.

Shifting from gasoline-powered cars to EVs is critical, but the challenge also extends to heavy industries like aviation and shipping, where electrification is not yet feasible. Sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) are emerging as a solution for decarbonizing air travel. SAFs have the potential to reduce aviation emissions by 80% compared to conventional jet fuel.

In terms of energy, renewables accounted for 21% of U.S. electricity generation in 2020, but this needs to rise rapidly to meet climate goals. Wind and solar power, in particular, are expected to expand significantly. Wind energy is projected to grow by over 50% by 2035, becoming one of the cornerstones of the clean energy transition.

Building a modern, interconnected grid is also essential for renewable energy sources. Upgrading the aging grid infrastructure will be critical in ensuring a reliable supply of clean energy and reducing losses during transmission.

By addressing both transportation and energy, these transitions will play a pivotal role in driving down emissions and meeting national and global climate targets.

Health and Environmental Justice

Beach goers walk past a pile of Hurricane Ian debris on January 25, 2023 in Fort Myers Beach, Florida. Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Climate change is an increasing threat to human health around the country. Extreme heat has become more common and dangerous-the average length of heat waves, their intensity, and the average length of heat wave seasons have all increased over the past 60 years. Exposure to extreme heat can lead to heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and fatality if precautions are not taken and heat illnesses are left untreated.

Climate change is also threatening the physical safety of people and their homes through increased extreme weather events like wildfires, hurricanes, and flooding. And pests like ticks and mosquitoes are thriving in a warming world, threatening to increase the spread of Lyme disease and other dangerous diseases.

These health impacts don't impact everyone to the same degree. People of color, Indigenous peoples, low-income communities, and children and elderly people are disproportionately impacted. We must work to ensure that climate solutions benefit everyone equitably-including historically disenfranchised, frontline, rural, and fossil fuel-dependent communities and workers, who often bear the brunt of the climate crisis.

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