Climate Change and the Adirondacks

Chances are, the Adirondack Park will look completely different in a few decades. As the climate changes, both globally and in the Adirondacks, the ecosystem changes too. Dr. Michael Mann notes that for the first time in millions of years, atmospheric concentrations of CO2 have exceed 400 ppm (Mann 2016). As a result of the increasing concentration of greenhouse gases, Earth has warmed 2 C since pre-industrial times (Mann 2016). Dr. Mann dismissed the possibility that climate change is a natural occurrence through prediction models with and without human impacts on the climate. In the model without human effects, the climate cooled. However, when the human impact was accounted for, the model predicted increasing temperatures for years to come. Climate change, which is caused by humans, will change the Adirondacks in the immediate future unless we take immediate action.

Dr. Mann is a leader amongst the science community, who have come to the conclusion that climate change is real and human caused. Among this community is Adirondack expert and ecologist at the Wildlife Conservation Society, Jerry Jenkins. Mr. Jenkins explains that many species in the Adirondacks, such as the marten and the moose, live in the southern end of their climatic range (Foderaro 2011). As the climate warms, the Adirondacks will no longer provide a viable habitat for these species. Jenkins admits “Nothing we see here is found at temperatures 10 degrees (F) warmer, and very little makes it to 5 degrees (F) warmer” (Foderaro 2011). Some scientists predict that the Adirondack climate could rise up to 9 degrees (F) by 2080, which would threaten the alpine tundra and spruce-fir forests we recognize as the quintessential Adirondack environment (Foderaro 2011).

Climate change threatens humans, too. In August of 2011, Tropical Storm Irene hit the Adirondacks and dumped 10 inches of rain, wreaking havoc on the Adirondacks (Foderaro 2011). Dr. Mann explains how a warmer climate heats waters that then increase the atmospheric pressure. With higher pressure systems, storms such as Tropical Storm Irene are more dangerous than they were without the contributions of climate change (Mann 2016).

Dr. Mann ended his presentation on climate change at Hamilton College by stating that climate change is a problem of intergenerational ethics and that we have an ethical obligation to address climate change (Mann 2016). Our immediate political, social, and behavioral changes are needed to protect not only the Adirondacks, but the world as we know it.

Average annual temperature from a publication from the Wild Center and Jerry Jenkins, Climate Change in the Adirondacks

Mann, Michael. “The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars.” Hamilton College. Clinton, NY. 4 Apr 2016. Lecture.

Foderaro, Lisa. “Savoring Bogs and Moose, Fearing They’ll Vanish as the Adirondacks Warm.” The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 1 Dec 2011. Web. 4 April 2016.