![]() ![]() The extreme weather events of 2015 provide an excellent opportunity to explore projected changes in baseline climate conditions for the Northwest. In this updated assessment, the Key Messages explore how climate change could affect the interrelationships between the environment and the people of the Northwest. 1 These impacts, many of which are now better understood in the scientific literature, remain the primary climate concerns over the coming decades. In the Third National Climate Assessment, the Key Messages for the Northwest focused on projected climate impacts to the region. The communities on the front lines of climate change-tribes and Indigenous peoples, those most dependent on natural resources for their livelihoods, and the economically disadvantaged-are experiencing the first, and often the worst, effects. Climate change, including gradual changes to the climate and in extreme climatic events, is already affecting these valued aspects of the region, including the natural resource sector, cultural identity and quality of life, built infrastructure systems, and the health of Northwest residents. The region is known for clean air, abundant water, low-cost hydroelectric power, vast forests, extensive farmlands, and outdoor recreation that includes hiking, boating, fishing, hunting, and skiing. Residents of the Northwest list the inherent qualities of the natural environment among the top reasons to live in the region. ![]()
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