Global Warming Reports
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Executive Summary
Wisconsin residents have a strong
connection with the outdoors.
Our natural environment provides
us with a wide range of recreational and
economic opportunities, inspires us with
its beauty, and is a big part of Wisconsin’s
cultural identity.
Global warming threatens to change
much of what we know and love about natural
Wisconsin. Indeed, Wisconsin’s climate
is already changing, with less ice cover on
lakes, the earlier arrival of spring, and more
frequent heavy rainstorms.
To prevent the worst impacts of global
warming, Wisconsin must do its share to
reduce emissions of global warming pollution.
Global warming is already occurring
worldwide, Wisconsin’s climate is
changing, and Wisconsin is a significant
contributor to the problem.
• Average temperatures worldwide
have increased by 1.3° F over the last
century, and temperatures in the last
half of the 20th century were likely the
highest in at least the last 1,300 years.
The Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change, the world’s leading
scientific body evaluating global warming,
recently concluded that most of
the recent warming is likely due to
human activities—particularly the
burning of fossil fuels.
• In Wisconsin, average temperatures
increased by 0.7° F during the 20th
century, extreme rainfall events have
become more common, the duration
of ice cover on Wisconsin lakes has declined,
and springtime events—such as
the blooming of plants and the return
of migratory birds—are happening
earlier in the year.
• Wisconsin is a significant contributor
to global warming. Emissions of
carbon dioxide—the leading global
warming pollutant—increased by 25
percent in the state between 1990 and
2004. Were Wisconsin its own country,
it would rank 38th in the world for
carbon dioxide emissions, ahead of
such nations as Romania, Austria, Sweden
and Israel.
• Should emissions of global warming
pollutants continue to increase, global
average temperatures could increase by
another 2° to 11.5° F by the end of this century (depending on future emission
trends), bringing with them increases
in sea level, changes in precipitation
patterns, more frequent heat waves,
and shifts in the distribution of species
around the globe.
Global warming poses severe threats
to the future of natural Wisconsin.
Water
• Global warming could leave the Great
Lakes smaller, shallower and less able
to sustain healthy populations of fish
and aquatic life. As of spring 2007,
water levels in Lake Superior and Lake
Michigan were well below long-term
averages.
• Ice cover on the Great Lakes and
inland lakes is projected to decline and
water temperatures are expected to
increase. These changes could harm
fisheries by increasing the potential
for oxygen-depleted “dead zones” to
appear in the lakes during the summer
months. Lake Superior’s average summer
surface temperature has increased
by 4° F in the last 25 years—a rate of
warming much faster than the surrounding
air.
• Rivers and streams could experience
greater flows during parts of the year
as a result of more precipitation,
especially in large storm events, thus
increasing the risk of flooding. Wisconsin
has recently suffered through
a string of severe flooding events and
eastern Wisconsin has experienced an
increasing number of extreme rainfall
events.
Forests
• Global warming could reduce or
eliminate the Wisconsin habitat of
several key tree species—such as the
balsam fir, paper birch, white spruce,
jack pine and red pine—threatening
the state’s pulp and paper and softwood
lumber industries. While other species
would likely thrive in a warmer
Wisconsin, the change may not happen
overnight, with a period of forest“dieback” possible before new species
can establish themselves.
• Higher temperatures, coupled with
other ecosystem changes, could increase
the risk of forest fires and pest
infestation in Wisconsin forests.
Natural Recreation
• Global warming could reduce or eliminate
several popular winter pastimes
in Wisconsin—including ice fishing
and snowmobiling. In recent years,
several winter recreational events—including ice-fishing events and crosscountry
ski races—have been forced
to cancel or alter their plans due to
lack of snow or ice. Warmer temperatures
could also reduce the length of
downhill skiing seasons.
• Hunting and fishing opportunities
in Wisconsin will also be affected by
global warming. Populations of several
game birds, including ducks, ruffed
grouse and ring-necked pheasants
are likely to see their ranges shifted
northward, and some may have their
populations in the state significantly
reduced. Cold-water fish species,
such as brook trout, brown trout and
rainbow trout will lose habitat and
perhaps disappear from all but the
deepest lakes, due to warmer water
temperatures, while cool-water fish
species like walleye and perch could
find it harder to live in streams and
shallow inland lakes.
• Bird and wildlife watchers will experience
a changing mix of species.
Birds are particularly sensitive to the
impacts of climate change and at least
three dozen species could be forced
from Wisconsin entirely as a result
of global warming. Some changes
are already taking place: the territory of warblers has been found to have
shifted northward over the past two
decades.
Farming
Most studies suggest that crop yields will
increase in the United States as a result of
global warming. But global warming will
present a series of new threats and headaches
to Wisconsin farmers, including:
• Increased risk of heat stress to cattle,
which can reduce production of milk,
Wisconsin’s number one farm product.
Wisconsin dairy farmers already lose
approximately $60 million annually as
a result of heat stress.
• Increased risk of drought as a result
of higher summer temperatures that
increase evaporation of moisture from
farm soils. Wisconsin experienced
significant drought in 2003 and again
in 2006.
• Increased erosion of farm soils, due to
heavy precipitation events.
• Increased risk from aggressive weeds
and insect pests that could expand
their range northward into Wisconsin.
To prevent the worst impacts of
global warming, Wisconsin, the United
States and the world must act. Wisconsin
must work to stabilize global
warming emissions at or below today’s
levels by the end of the decade, reduce
emissions by at least 15 to 20 percent by
2020, and reduce emissions by at least
80 percent by 2050.
There is still time to prevent the worst
impacts of global warming, but we must act
quickly. Wisconsin should:
• Adopt a cap on global warming pollution
within the state that will reduce
Wisconsin’s emissions by 20 percent by
2020 and 80 percent by 2050.
• Increase our use of renewable energy.
Among the steps we can take are:
o Requiring 25 percent of transportation
fuel in Wisconsin to come
from renewable sources by 2025,
while reducing per-mile global
warming pollution from vehicles
by adopting vehicle emission standards
for carbon dioxide and
supporting a strengthening of
federal fuel economy standards.
o Requiring 25 percent of our electricity
to come from clean, homegrown
sources such as wind and
solar power by 2025.
• Make Wisconsin’s economy more
energy efficient. Among the steps we
can take are:
o Setting energy efficiency standards
that will reduce electricity and
natural gas consumption in
Wisconsin by 10 percent by 2015.
o Encouraging public and private
investments in energy efficiency and
renewable energy technologies.
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