Wringing the West Dry

Research by scientists from the Union of Concerned Scientists and University of California, Merced, finds that, across the western United States, climate change has reduced snowpack by 36 percent and streamflow by 13 percent, and has increased irrigation demand by 4.3 percent. Roughly half of these impacts is attributable to the emissions of the largest fossil fuel companies and cement manufacturers. Emissions from these companies can also be traced to a tenth of the observed groundwater loss in California’s Central Valley.

The economic consequences of climate-driven disruptions to the water cycle are tremendous—and too often, states and cities are left covering the billions of dollars in related expenses. These findings underscore the dire need for the fossil fuel industry to pay its fair share as communities are forced to adapt to this new climate reality.