REPORT: Oregon Faces Climate Threats; We Are Committed to Solutions

The Oregon Climate Change Research Institute just released their third Oregon Climate Assessment Report, and the results are foreboding.

Off the top, it clearly states the problem: “burning fossil fuels to run our factories, heat our homes and drive our cars produces heat-trapping gasses that unequivocally warm the planet.” The report presents compelling evidence as to how our state is already experiencing the effects of climate change, and the various threats that lie ahead.

Key takeaways:

A majority of Oregonians are concerned about climate change: Two-thirds (67%) of Oregonians believe that climate change is happening (Howe et al., 2015). A majority (57%) are worried about global warming.

We need to do more than simply mitigate climate impacts; it’s also time to adapt: The report details the need to reduce or even eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, and adapt to new environmental conditions at governmental and societal levels, as well as through personal actions (Bierbaum et al., 2014).

Oregon winters will become warmer and wetter, while our summers will continue to get drier: Annual precipitation will increase on average by 1.9% by the 2050s, and 3.4% by the 2080s under the low emissions pathway (RCP 4.5). Under the high emissions pathway, increases are a bit larger for each time period: 2.7%, and 6.3%, respectively. Oregon’s already dry summers are projected to become drier while winter, spring, and fall are projected to become wetter, albeit some models project increases and others project decreases in each season (table 2.3). Extreme precipitation events are also expected to become slightly more frequent or intense in our region.

Remember our warm winter in 2015? The west coast ocean blob? The summer drought that followed? That’s a glimpse into our future: In 2015, Oregon was the warmest it has ever been since record keeping began in 1895 (NOAA, 2017). Precipitation during the winter of that year was near normal, but winter temperatures that were 5–6°F above average caused the precipitation that did fall to fall as rain instead of snow, reducing mountain snowpack accumulation (Mote et al., 2016). This resulted in record low snowpack across the state, earning official drought declarations for 25 of Oregon’s 36 counties (fig. 2.4). Oregon’s temperatures, precipitation, and snowpack in 2015 are illustrative of conditions that, according to climate model projections, may be considered “normal” by mid-century (fig. 2.5).

The report does a deep dive into how climate change will impact our precious water resources, forests, coastal areas, agriculture, and human health overall. It also highlights specific communities that will be and are being hit first and hardest by climate impacts. These impacts are projected to be particularly hard-hitting for Oregon’s Native American communities.

While the contents of the report may feel daunting, take heart; Oregon Environmental Council and our partners are at the forefront of making Oregon a climate leader. We are working with businesses, elected officials and community leaders to address climate pollution and transition Oregon to a clean energy economy.

During this strange new time of “alternative facts” when various federal agencies who regularly report on climate science have been silenced by the new administration, Oregon’s researchers press on.

In this sense, the very issuing of this report should be celebrated. We, as its readers, should no longer take such information for granted. We, as Oregonians, made it a priority to track these important facts in a state climate report — now in its third issue.

Science matters. Facts matter. Oregon Environmental Council believes in putting forward creative solutions to today’s environmental problems that are based on sound scientific analysis. This is one of our core organizational values.

You can help us by spreading these important facts far and wide: share this blog post on your Facebook page or Twitter profile. Email it to your friends.

Join us on this journey to make Oregon a climate leader. You can be a catalyst for action.

Related Posts
Filter by
Post Page
Policy Featured OEC News/Updates/Events Our Impact Water News Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Water Conservation Water Stories Water Action Climate Protection OCAP-Page OCAP News Toxics-Free Environments Air Quality
Sort by
Photo of Oregon mountains with evergreen trees in the foreground, and foggy mountain tops that stretch into the distance with the words "Impact Report 2023-2024".

2023-2024 Impact Report: Mobilizing for the Future

Download OEC’s 2023-2024 Impact Report, or scroll to explore some of our recent achievements.
October 1, 2024, 4:22 pm
mcadmin

9

2022-2023 OEC Impact Report

Impact Report 2022-2023

Download here, or scroll down to view on this page. #gallery-1 { margin: auto; } #gallery-1 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 100%; } #gallery-1 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-1 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in
September 28, 2023, 3:28 pm
mcadmin

9

Front of a schoolbus (above the engine/grill) with clouds above, and reflecting in the windows a bit. The bus is parked among others in the lot.

Oregon’s Report Card: The Urgent Need for Transportation Investment

Everyone deserves the right to safe, accessible, climate-friendly transportation options. And everyone deserves to arrive at their destination safely, regardless of their transportation choice. Yet the need for investments in transportation safety could not be more urgent as this year’s back-to-school season is met with a 40-year peak in pedestrian deaths, nationwide. 
September 21, 2023, 11:42 am
jacqui

9

Oregon Health Authority Report Finds Devastating Public Health Impacts from Climate Change in Oregon, Underscoring Urgent Need for Legislative Action to Pass the Climate Resilience Package

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 22, 2023 Media Contact Kat Driessen, [email protected] PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon Health Authority today released a comprehensive report on the public health impacts of climate change in Oregon. The “2021-2022 Climate and Health in Oregon Rep
June 22, 2023, 11:00 am
mcadmin

9

New Water Justice Report: A Launching Point for Research and Policy Development 

It should go without saying that clean water is foundational to every aspect of our lives. But the reality is that there are far too many people in Oregon who struggle to have their water needs met every day. For some it’s poor water quality, for others, it’s lack of access to water, unaffordable water costs, or diminished natural resources.  These water justice challenges are highlighted in a
September 14, 2022, 9:31 pm
stacey

9

2021-2022 Impact Report

See OEC’s impact in 2021 and 2022. Click here to download.
September 9, 2022, 5:43 pm
mcadmin

9

Reflections on the Recent IPCC Reports

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released two reports in the past eight months, both with dire warnings about the future of our planet and the need for immediate global action. If you are a concerned citizen who follows these headlines, you can probably relate that each time a flurry of articles swarms your feed there is a gut-punch feeling that may consume the rest of your day – or leave you feeling numb. You are not a
March 16, 2022, 8:49 pm
xanthiawoeconline-org

9

New report elevates water justice in Oregon

A new report from the Oregon Water Futures Project reveals water challenges facing communities across the state, from water shortages, to living with unsafe water, watching sacred ecosystems disappear, and critical information gaps about clean water during emergencies. The report highlights key findings from community
September 2, 2021, 11:10 pm
stacey

9

Oregon Climate Action Plan: 2021 Progress Report

March 26, 2021, 12:11 am
noraaoeconline-org

9

OHA Report: Climate Crisis a Current and Growing Threat to the Health of Oregonians

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) just released its “Climate and Health in Oregon 2020” report, documenting the public health impacts from climate change across Oregon. The report is the first thorough analysis of the health effects of climate change in Oregon since 2014, and is the first of three OHA deliverables directed under EO 20-04, the Oregon Climate Action Plan. The report findings are grim, confirming what OEC has been saying all along– that climate change is a public he
January 5, 2021, 8:15 pm
jamie-pang

9


2 Replies to "REPORT: Oregon Faces Climate Threats; We Are Committed to Solutions"

  • lori jackson
    January 27, 2017 (7:01 pm)

    How can I help? I am a fair influential writer and speaker. I live in Columbia County. Besides Facebook or cash (I have none), are there ways I can contribute?

    • Devon Downeysmith
      January 27, 2017 (7:39 pm)

      Hi Lori, have you joined our Grassroots Action and Information Network? If not, please do! We’ll let you know when there’s a climate bill where we need your support and can provide timely actions for you to take, like reaching out to your legislator, sending out an action alert or writing a letter to the editor. Sign up here: https://oeconline.org/join-us/take-action/. Another action would be to get involved with Renew Oregon. Learn more about their work and sign their pledge here: http://www.reneworegon.org/sign_the_pledge. Thanks so much for your support!