About this Paper

This paper examines the potential impacts of climate change on the Rocky Mountain/Great Basin region. The paper's content is based on the results of a workshop in Salt Lake City, attended by representatives from government, industry, academic, tribal, and non-governmental organizations; and stakeholders from many walks of life e.g., farmers, ranchers, Native Americans, and ski area operators (see proceedings). This paper is also based on assessment research and a report by the RMGB regional assessment team; the National Assessment Synthesis reports (Overview and Foundation); and other research reports. It is intended as a resource for the formal and informal education communities. The five areas discussed here include: water resources, agriculture, natural ecosystems, outdoor recreation and tourism, and extreme events. Each of these topics is accompanied by initial suggestions about how the region may be able to cope with or ameliorate the potential impacts.

Several of the identified topics are currently issues of concern to society for reasons other than climate changes. For example, climate change is very likely to increase flooding in low-lying areas. This is a potential problem because many communities and infrastructure are built in vulnerable locations or according to building codes that are not likely to be stringent enough to protect them. Potential climate impacts give an additional reason for considering actions. It is also important to realize that some of the projected climate changes and their impacts will be gradual and slow to develop while others will be nearer term and more noticeable. Also, because we are talking about changes and impacts extending over as much as the next 100 years, we may well have time to take actions that could make it easier to moderate potential negative consequences.

The focus of this paper is less on the potential positive consequences because government responsibilities are typically to ameliorate adverse consequences, and because the projected negative impacts tend to be similar to past experience. Positive outcomes typically arise as people identify opportunities that climate change presents and create new (and less foreseeable) activities. Therefore, caution should be taken in drawing conclusions about potential net consequences -- while change will occur, how society responds will be a key determinant for many types of consequences.

For additional information on this region, please see the Rocky Mountain/Great Basin Regional Workshop and Assessment reports. Also see the National Assessment Synthesis reports, Overview and Foundation documents. This paper was developed by Dr. Lynne M. Carter.  Special thanks to Dr. Frederic Wagner, regional assessment director, for contributions to and reviews of the information contained in this paper.