Wilkes Center for Climate Science and Policy

New research led by Meng Liu, PhD, and Wilkes Center Director William Anderegg finds that the sensitivity of ecosystem productivity to disturbances differs between regions, with dryland ecosystems becoming more sensitive to water stress after disturbances, whereas wet regions become less sensitive. On average, they find ecosystem sensitivity requires approximately five years to recover to pre-disturbance levels. Climate-sensitive disturbances impact ecosystem productivity and carbon uptake. 
 Their research is published in Nature Climate Change . https://lnkd.in/gSxweVmK

Wilkes Center Director Dr. William Anderegg provided comments and feedback during the drafting process for the U.S. Congressional Budget Office’s new report “The Risks of Climate Change to the United States in the 21st Century”, published December 19, 2024.
 Read the entire report here: https://lnkd.in/gpUWAFmK
 Summary: “The economic effects of climate change will depend on the extent of its physical effects. Those effects are highly uncertain. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that by 2100, there is a 5 percent chance that average global temperatures will be more than 4 degrees Celsius (4°C) warmer than they were in the latter half of the 19th century and an equal chance that they will have risen by less than 2°C. In the United States, sea levels have a 5 percent chance of rising by about 4 feet or more by 2100 and an equal chance of rising by about 2 feet or less. Damage from natural disasters is also expected to increase.”
 “The uncertainty of climate change’s physical effects implies a wide range of possible economic consequences, ranging from benign to catastrophic. In this report, CBO focuses, where possible, on the 5th and 95th percentiles of the distributions of potential outcomes. The report examines the possible economic effects of climate change on gross domestic product (GDP), real estate markets, and other areas that influence the economy and the federal budget.” The report was prepared at the request of the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee. In keeping with the Congressional Budget Office’s mandate to provide objective, impartial analysis, the report makes no recommendations. https://lnkd.in/gS8ts9Vt · 1m 2 minutes ago

Wilkes Center affiliate Sara Grineski, a professor of Sociology, published findings from her new study showing that exposure to ozone pollution during pregnancy was associated with increased odds of the baby having intellectual disability. Ozone air pollution is commonly experienced in Utah and around the Mountain West when sunlight interacts with wildfire smoke or fossil fuel emissions. While previous studies have found evidence linking PM2.5 pollution exposure during pregnancy to intellectual disability in children, this is the first such study to find a link to ozone pollution. If not addressed, evidence suggests climate change will worsen ozone pollution in the future. Check out the story to learn more. https://lnkd.in/gw6Vt_3W https://lnkd.in/g3zj-TzS #climatechange #ozone

We are seeking a part-time Creative Content Assistant to support our marketing and communications programs. This position is ideal for a University of Utah student who is interested in current research into climate change solutions, environmental journalism/communications, and science communication.  Go here to apply: https://lnkd.in/gzJYB3_d

Congratulations to Professor William Anderegg for being recognized as one of Clarivate’s most Highly Cited Researchers in 2024 in the fields of Plant & Animal Science, and Environment & Ecology. Dr. Anderegg is Director of the Wilkes Center for Climate Science and Policy, and Professor in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Utah. Each researcher selected has authored multiple Highly Cited Papers™ which rank in the top 1% by citations for their field(s) and publication year in the Web of Science™ over the past decade. Of the world’s population of scientists and social scientists, Highly Cited Researchers are 1 in 1,000. https://lnkd.in/gkqxQJ-f

Registration is OPEN for the Wilkes Center's Climate Solutions HACKATHON on Water Solutions! All University of Utah students are invited for this 24-hour problem-solving competition. Come join a team, network with peers and experts, and get creative! FREE food and refreshments. Thousands of dollars in cash prizes awarded to the top ideas. Go here to learn more and register: https://lnkd.in/gyt9CFF8 

In Southwestern Utah, the changing climate is driving an increase of Valley Fever infections, a fungal infection caused by inhaling spores found in soil and dust. Katherine Walter’s article in Noema Magazine is beautifully written and deserves a careful read! She is an Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and a Wilkes Center-supported researcher at the University of Utah. “Valley fever is a largely invisible epidemic — the CDC estimates that tens of thousands of cases go unreported each year. Many of these unreported cases may be among asymptomatic people or those whose symptoms resolved quickly, but others would benefit from treatment... "A recent study found higher rates of Valley fever mortality in Utah than in other states. This is probably not due to a particularly virulent fungal strain in Utah, but instead due to long delays in proper diagnosis and treatment because of relatively low levels of awareness in Utah compared to Arizona or California’s Central Valley.” https://lnkd.in/gfDV236W #valleyfever #ClimateChange 

A global warming event 56 million years ago called the "Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum", can teach us things about the Earth's sensitivities, planetary feedback mechanisms, and resiliency, says UofU Marine Geologist Dustin Harper. https://lnkd.in/grubUAzJ
#ClimateChange #research

Researchers at the University of Utah surveyed undergraduate students to understand how much they are experiencing Eco-anxiety and what they’re doing to cope. 
 https://lnkd.in/gGThUEVQ

REMINDER: This Thursday at 7 PM, the Wilkes Center is co-hosting bestselling author John Vaillant who will speak about his book Fire Weather, and climate change in the American West in the Pyrocene, at the Natural History Museum on Thursday, November 7th, from 7-8 PM. The event is free with registration. Here is a link to the event webpage with more details and a link to register: https://lnkd.in/g8iizcQB NHMU also recently interviewed Vaillant: https://lnkd.in/gXYCG-DD