US to prepare for unstoppable climate change

Friday, 31 July 2009 08:21

The United States must prepare for unstoppable climate changes that will have a major impact on farming, industry, recreation and government services, the US Commerce Secretary told the US Senate Commerce Committee Thursday 31 July.

"As much as we can try to avoid (it), there will undoubtedly be changes in our climate that will have devastating impacts, very significant impacts, on all sectors from recreation to industry and business to agriculture" and government, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said.

A new National Climate Service charged with making detailed national and regional climate forecasts is "badly needed" to help individuals, companies and all levels of government to make plans, Locke told the Senate Commerce Committee.

"We need to understand what's coming down the road," Locke said. "So many people are going to be dependent on this information for investment decisions."

Even if Congress passes legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming, the amount of gases already in the air are enough to keep the planet warming for decades, John Holdren, director of the White House office on Science and Technology Policy, told the panel.

(Source: Reuters)