Climate change likely to get worse for US: White House

Washington, May 7: Climate change is no longer a "distant threat" and it is affecting every region of the US and daily lives of the people, a White House report has warned.

Summers are getting hotter, heat waves are lasting longer, and weather is getting more extreme, revealed the third US National Climate Assessment report released by White House Tuesday.

"Climate change is not a distant threat - it is already affecting every region of the country and economy," said John Holdren, director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

The report reveals how regional impacts of climate change will affect health, agriculture, energy, water and transportation, said Jerry Melillo, a scientist at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

The extreme weather events already experienced in the country would only get worse if urgent preventive actions are not taken.

The northeast will experience more heat waves, extreme precipitation and coastal flooding caused by storm surge.

The Midwest can expect hotter weather and increased demand for water and energy.

And the Southwest will suffer hotter, drier weather and more wildfires, according to the report.

Coastal areas such as Florida and New York face threats from sea level rise.

Throughout much of the country, heavy precipitation will become more common, the report noted.

More than 300 scientists contributed to the National Climate Assessment report, which is part of president Barack Obama's climate action plan.

IANS