SEATTLE – Far from being a future threat, climate change already is making national parks hotter and the effects could get much worse, according to a first-of-its-kind study.

Researchers went back to 1895 to chart temperatures and found they're rising twice as fast in the country's national parks as they are in the rest of America.

Patrick Gonzalez, a study co-author and climate change scientist at the University of California, Berkeley, says while the study makes stunning predictions for parks in the future, national parks such as North Cascades in Washington are in the midst of climate change right now.

"In North Cascades National Park, the temperature since 1950 has increased at a rate of 1.8 degrees per century, or 3.2 degrees Fahrenheit, and consequently, the glaciers in North Cascades National Park have been melting," he points out.

Gonzalez notes that winter snowpack in the Pacific Northwest has fallen to its lowest levels in 800 years and that wildfires have doubled since 1985.

The study says national parks often protect extreme environments, which are more susceptible to temperature rises.

Gonzalez's research predicts that if nothing is done to curb emissions, the country's most vulnerable national parks could see average temperatures increase 16 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100.

Over the past century, the area covered by glaciers in North Cascades National Park has shrunk by 50 percent.

Gonzalez notes that has consequences for the surrounding region, such as summer melt for local watersheds that provide drinking water for Washingtonians.

But he says this isn't a doom-and-gloom report, adding that the Evergreen State has joined other states to reduce their impact on the climate.

"The 16 states of the United States Climate Alliance and Puerto Rico – and that includes the state of Washington – has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions 15 percent, and they're on track to meet the Paris Agreement goals," he points out.

Gonzalez says the country has the technological capacity to lower the rate of heating in national parks by two-thirds by the end of the century through improved energy efficiency, the installation renewable sources of power such as wind and solar, and expanded public transit.


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Offshore wind is becoming an increasingly popular way for coastal communities to hit their carbon-neutral goals.

According to a report from the U.S. Department of Energy, state policies could procure more than 39,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2040.

Because of the demand, more than 340 elected officials are asking the federal government to increase national offshore wind goals and accelerate the permitting process. Some cities also are looking to the lucrative wind-turbine manufacturing business as a way to recoup some lost industry.

Mary Lupin, vice president of the Rochester City Council, feels it could be a match for Western New York.

"Industry has left. We used to be a huge manufacturing city, and we still have many of the bones of factories and industrial areas that could be built back up to support this industry," Lupin contended. "I think we still have a lot of work to do in terms of doing the studies to understand exactly what it takes."

She added it would greatly benefit to Rochester because, in addition to new jobs, it makes wind turbine parts more easily accessible to the city.

Although there are many concerns about offshore wind and how it will work, a central concern has been about its effect on the fishing industry. People are curious how shipping lanes and fishing routes will cope with the turbines.

Sara Goddard, a city council member in Rye, feels it is not the problem it is being made out to be. Instead, she believes the facts should speak for themselves.

"I think sometimes there's just a lack of understanding and a fear of the unknown," Goddard remarked. "To the extent that policymakers and lawmakers can get in front of those concerns and address those concerns before they become misinformation."

Goddard acknowledged it is a major worry for communities thriving with the fishing industry. She wants to see elected officials take charge of information regarding offshore wind and ensure their constituents know the truth.

This year's hurricane season has proved climate change's effects are growing in power. Hurricane Ian, which devastated the Caribbean and Florida, led to major flooding in other states.

Caren Fitzpatrick, a commissioner in Atlantic County, said flooding after Ian has been problematic for Atlantic City residents. However, she noted high levels of flooding have become a regular occurrence in the area.

"Back-bay flooding here, on Absecon Island, where Atlantic City is, used to be a once in a while, maybe once in a quarter issue," Fitzpatrick recounted. "Now, children can't get to school on full-moon and high-tide days because they're flooded into their homes."

Fitzpatrick argued people need to acknowledge it is a different world. Although they may have memories of how things used to be, she said things have to change in order to halt or slow down climate change's effects.

The United States is seeing a national push from the federal government and car companies to pivot toward electric vehicles, and Connecticut is riding the trend.

The Inflation Reduction Act includes incentives for buyers of electric vehicles, and elected officials are taking this call to action in stride. Connecticut passed its own Clean Air Act, which requires all state vehicles to be electric by 2030. It also offers incentives for anyone to buy zero-emission vehicles.

Sen. William Haskell, D-Westport, who worked on the bill, feels it was born of the necessity to rid Connecticut of harmful carbon emissions.

"My state saw 21 days of unhealthy levels of ozone in 2021," Haskell reported. "That was the highest in New England, and five of our eight counties got 'F' grades from the American Lung Association. The American Lung Association weighs in because worse air pollution can create aggravated, serious lung conditions, including asthma and emphysema."

Numerous rebates will be available for electric vehicle purchases, to help make it easier for families and small business owners to do so. Connecticut will also give rebates of up to $500 for electric bikes.

Haskell hopes the moves will help the state meet its carbon goals by the end of the decade.

Some elected officials are pushing the Biden Administration to take on even more stringent policies, such as California's new rules prohibiting the sale of gas-powered vehicles by 2035.

Haskell added he would like to see the influx of money for infrastructure updates be spent on the most climate-friendly projects.

"We're living in this historic moment where there's more money being spent on infrastructure than has been there since the Eisenhower administration," Haskell observed. "The problem is, if we don't spend that money wisely, it could actually worsen the crisis of climate change, not make it better."

One point eliminated from Connecticut's Clean Air Act, which Haskell would like to see in the future, is the state implementing a "carbon budget." He argued it would force the state to evaluate projects based on whether they'd increase or decrease carbon emissions.

Local officials concerned about climate change are calling on the Biden Environmental Protection Agency to adopt strict national clean car standards - like the ones the Golden State has already embraced.

The California Air Resources Board recently adopted new rules that will phase out the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035.

Alex Walker-Griffin, the vice mayor of the town of Hercules in the Bay Area, said California's new rules are intended to cut vehicle pollution 60% by 2030.

"By 2026," said Walker-Griffin, "car dealerships have to have a plan for the phasing of electric, hydrogen, and hybrid vehicles into their fleets that they sell."

More than 600 local officials from across the country, part of a group called Elected Officials to Protect America, have signed a letter asking the EPA to start the rulemaking process for stringent clean-car standards.

The agency says the transportation sector accounts for 27% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

Neighborhood Council Member Andrew Lewis from North Westwood, near UCLA, said he suspects the extreme heat and rain that recently pounded Southern California is linked to climate change.

"So to go from, literally on the same day, a heat wave into hurricane impacts," said Lewis, "which created a Miami-like atmosphere here in Los Angeles, something's wrong, something's got to change."

State Sen. Will Haskell - D-Westport - is a 26-year-old from Connecticut. He also signed the letter.

"I worry about whether my generation is going to have clean air to breathe and clean water to drink," said Haskell, "or if policymakers are going to stick their head in the sand and watch the point of no return go by."

The Inflation Reduction Act, which passed this summer, is poised to invest $369 billion into climate action, including $7.5 billion to build a network of charging stations, every 50 miles on interstate highways.