Richmond, VA—As the presidential candidates prepare to discuss some of the most important issues facing our country at their final debate tonight, Environment Virginia released a new report documenting that the average temperature in Richmond in 2007 was 2.9°F above the historical average. The year 2007 tied for the second warmest year on record globally and was the 10th warmest year on record in the United States. These record temperatures are part of a trend toward rising temperatures resulting from global warming.
“Throw out the record books because global warming is raising temperatures in Virginia and across the country,” said Nicole Gentile, Federal Environmental Associate with Environment Virginia. “While two or three degrees may not seem like much, just as any parent with a sick child knows, even a small rise in temperature can have a big effect,” she continued.
According to NASA, seven of the eight warmest years on record globally have occurred since 2001. These above-average temperatures led Environment Virginia to more closely examine recent temperature trends at the local level.
“Global climate change is one of the most serious and challenging problems that we face,” said Rep. Bobby Scott. “The vast amount of evidence, such as this report, confirms that climate change is happening. It’s time we address this important issue.”
Feeling the Heat: Global Warming and Rising Temperatures in the United States compares government temperature data for the years 2000-2007 with the historical average, or “normal,” temperature for the preceding 30 years, 1971-2000. Our data were collected at 255 weather stations – those with the highest quality data – in all 50 states and Washington, DC.
Key findings for Virginia include:
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In 2007, the average temperature was 2.9°F above normal in Richmond.
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Richmond’s above-average temperatures in 2007 are part of a warming trend. Between 2000 and 2007, the average temperature was 1.7°F above the historical average in Richmond. Nationally, the average temperature during this eight-year period was at least 0.5°F above normal at nearly 90 percent of the weather stations.
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In 2007, Richmond experienced average maximum temperatures — the highest temperatures recorded on a given day — of 3.3°F above normal.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change – the prestigious United Nations body that won a Nobel Prize last year for its work – has concluded the evidence of global warming is “unequivocal” and that human activities are responsible for most of the increase in global average temperatures. Burning fossil fuels to power cars, homes, and industry produces most U.S. global warming emissions.
A recent Bush administration report said “it is very likely” that more people will die in the United States during extremely hot periods in the future. In addition, the report identified degraded air quality, wildfires, heat waves, drought, more powerful tropical storms, extreme rainfall with flooding, sea level rise as particular risks for the South Atlantic region.
Energy issues have featured prominently in both presidential and vice-presidential debates this election season. “We’re at a crossroads on energy, and it’s up to the next President to choose a new path that curbs global warming and helps recharge our struggling economy,” said Gentile.
“It’s clear that our energy crisis isn’t just hurting us at the pump, but it’s also causing Virginians to feel the heat. The good news is that repowering America with wind and solar power will curb global warming, and clean, renewable energy is one of the few bright spots in our troubled economy,” said Gentile.
According to the latest climate science, the United States and the world must break its dependence on fossil fuels and transition rapidly to 100 percent clean, renewable energy if we hope to avoid the most catastrophic effects of global warming.
Specifically, the United States must reduce its global warming emissions by at least 20 percent by 2020 and by 80 percent by 2050 and make energy efficiency improvements and the accelerated development of renewable energy the centerpiece of our environmental and economic development policies.
Recently, more than 150 members of Congress, including Representative Bobby Scott, endorsed strong principles for action on energy and global warming. Environment America urged that those principles be the blueprint for action for the next President and Congress.
“We commend Representative Scott for his leadership on this critical issue,” concluded Gentile.
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The full report, Feeling the Heat: Global Warming and Rising Temperatures in the United States can be found here: Get the full report.
For more information, contact Nicole Gentile: (202) 683-1250.
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Environment Virginia is a statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy organization.
