Global Warming Could Cost U.S. $3.8 Trillion Per Year By 2100

May 24, 2008

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Doing nothing on global warming will cost the U.S. economy more than 3.6 percent of GDP — or $3.8 trillion annually (in today’s dollars) — by 2100. On the other hand, a detailed, bottom-up analysis finds that just four categories of global warming impacts — hurricane damage, real estate losses, increased energy costs and water costs — will add up to a price tag of 1.8 percent of U.S. GDP, or almost $1.9 trillion annually (in today’s dollars) by 2100.

Those are the results of a report released by researchers at Tufts University, commissioned by the Natural Resources Defense Council.

In the future, according to the report, global warming will cause drastic changes to the planet’s climate, with average temperature increases of 13 degrees Fahrenheit in most of the United States and 18 degrees Fahrenheit in Alaska over the next 100 years.

Costs and damages for the four categories cited in the report if global warming continues:

Hurricane damages: $422 billion
Real estate losses: $360 billion
Increased energy costs: $141 billion
Water costs: $950 billion

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Advertisers

Stay competitive through sustainability.

Find out how at the SAP Sustainability Resource Center. >>

Unclear about the EPA's new GHG Rule?

Learn how it could affect your business. >>

EPA mandatory emissions reporting starts Jan 1st

CSA Standards can help your organization get ready for compliance. Find out how. >>

Best Practices: Product Environmental Compliance

How to achieve compliance at a significantly lower cost. Download the full report. >>

Join the Discussion

Recent Daily News [ see all ]

11/24/2009
11/23/2009
11/20/2009

Charts [ see all ]

Government Intervention Required to Drive “Green” Technology

62% of Firms Assign Environmental Team for Green Goals

European Paper Industry Cuts CO2 Emissions by 42% since 1990

S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks

Jobs

View All Jobs >> Post a Job >>

Comments and Discussions

Jetset1 on Energy-Savings Claims Don’t Add Up for Microsoft’s Windows 7
"This article is wrong. If your PC is less than a few years old,..."

Iain on McD’s in Germany Trades Red for Green In Logo
"Now if only their food was healthy and nutritious."

Phil on Climate Scientists Alleged to Have Manipulated Data
"After reading all the comments it seems obvious, to me, that the individuals populating..."

Marc Hudson on McD’s in Germany Trades Red for Green In Logo
"where will the stone be mined from- under what labor rights conditions? Will the..."

Clyde on Climate Scientists Alleged to Have Manipulated Data
"This just shows all the Global Warming freaks out there are a bunch of criminals cut from..."

Car Rental Singapore on News Corp. Taps Hara for Energy Efficiency, Environmental Management
"Energy reduction is a good thing. We need to save the..."

Meme Mine on WWF, WRI Make Last-Minute Pitches on Climate Change
"To the voting public, what the scientists say is irrelevant anymore for if you read..."

Environmental Leader