Climate Change Now Costs U.S. Hundreds Of Billions – GAO

Climate change already costing U.S. billions, GAO report says

Michael Biesecker, October 23, 2017 (Associated Press via Chicago Tribune)

“…[The non-partisan federal Government Accountability Office (GAO) says climate change has already cost U.S. taxpayers $350 billion over the last decade,] with those costs expected to rise as devastating storms, floods, wildfires and droughts become more frequent in the coming decades…[The GAO report] does not include the massive toll from this year's three major hurricanes and wildfires, expected to be among the most costly in the nation's history…[Climate change costs could reach] $35 billion a year by 2050…[but the GAO found] the federal government doesn't effectively plan for these recurring costs, classifying the financial exposure from climate-related costs…The report says the fiscal impacts of climate change are likely to vary widely by region. The Southeast is at increased risk because of coastal property that could be swamped by storm surge and sea level rise. The Midwest and Great Plains are susceptible to decreased crop yields…[and the] west is expected to see increased drought, wildfires and deadly heatwaves…” click here for more

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