National Climate Assessment Points to the Risks Americans Already Face

On May 6, the U.S. released its third National Climate Assessment, giving it much more prominence than the previous report. The Assessment identified five ways in which climate disruptions lead to injury, illness, and death, according to Adler’s analysis of the 800+-page report: Extreme heat, extreme drought and rainfall, agriculture and food security, insects, and air pollution. “Climate change is not a distant threat; it’s already affecting the U.S.,” said John Holdren, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. “This is the largest alarm bell to date.”