About 2.5 trillion dollars of real estate assets in California are at risk from extreme weather events, sea level rise and wildfires, a new report showed.
This breaks down to a projected annual price tag of between 300 million and 3.9 billion dollars, said the "California Climate Risk and Response" report written by researchers at the University of California in Berkeley.
This is the first time that the costs of global warning's projected effects in the nation's most populous state have been quantified.
The final number will depend on how much the Earth warms under various scenarios and whether the nations commit to slashing greenhouse gas emissions, said the report published by the Los Angeles Times on Friday.
"Our report makes clear the most expensive thing we can do about climate change is nothing," said David Roland-Holst who took part in the research.
But he said: "This is not a Doomsday report .... If we make the right investments, we can avert much of the damage in any scenario."
The report covers seven economic sectors and envisions issues such as the collapse of the ski industry, a water-starved hydroelectric system and an increase in warming-related smog.
"This is a good review of existing studies," said Anthony Brunello, a California Resources agency official. "It assesses the real, comprehensive statewide impacts for the first time."
Brunello and other California officials are already busy planning a comprehensive "Climate Adaptation Strategy" to commit the state to concrete prevention measures, according to the paper.
Six task forces covering biodiversity and habitat, infrastructure, oceans and coastal resources, public health, water, forestry and agriculture will release adaptation strategies for public comment next month.
California is also moving to adopt comprehensive regulations to slash its greenhouse gas emissions by 15 percent below today's level. But that would only put a dent in the trajectory of climate change, unless dramatic measures are undertaken nationwide and across other continents, according to scientists.
Source:Xinhua
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