Economics and the environment

xiv, 546 hal; 24 c

Fifty leading economists warn Oregon : global warming to come with a big price tag

5 p.Oct. 11, 2005 press release to Oregon leaders warning of economic impact of global warming

Saving salmon, saving money: innovative business leadership in the Pacific Northwest

31 p.This report documents that 375 businesses and other organizations in the Pacific Northwest, through aggressive pursuit of environmental efficiency opportunities, have substantially reduced water, energy, hazardous materials and other inputs, reducing pressure on stream habitats and the environment while at the same time saving millions of dollars. These firms are at the leading edge of a movement referred to as "eco-efficiency", creating a more economically and environmentally efficient economy through incremental improvements in resource use and environmental impact. They demonstrate that while there will always be initial investment costs, in both the short and the long term there are often much larger economic savings from efforts to reduce environmental impacts to conserve streams, salmon, and the environment. In sum, taking steps to restore regional environmental quality can produce significant economic benefits—not major costs—to companies, communities and the region

Abrupt Climate Change and the Economy: A survey with application to Oregon

12 p. report and 2 maps depicting the potential impacts of catastrophic sea level rise on Oregon and on the Portland and Tillamook areas due to a collapse of Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets.The general warming of the Earth that is expected over the next century will have serious economic consequences for humans and natural ecosystems across the world. The Pacific Northwest is already experiencing adverse affects and more are likely the warmer it gets. [Resource Innovations (2005)] This will be true even if warming proceeds gradually. Globally, temperatures are expected to rise between 1◦ and 5◦ c (2◦-10◦ F) over the next hundred years. [IPCC (2001)] Regional warming is expected to be 5.4 ◦ F by mid-century. [Institute of Natural Resources (2004)] To put these numbers in perspective, during the last Ice Age, global temperatures averaged 9◦ F cooler than today, so a mid-range warming will approach a swing in global temperatures of Ice Age magnitude, only in the opposite direction. In Oregon, the most visible short run impacts will be felt through loss of snowpack and dramatic reductions in summer water supply for agriculture, and municipal and in-stream uses, as well as through sea level rise, and forest impacts. [Resource Innovations (2005)] This paper sketches the possibilities for more abrupt changes in the climate system, which would have potentially catastrophic impacts for the Oregon’s economy, and evaluates insurance motives for reducing global warming emissions in the state.This report was sponsored by the Climate Leadership Initiative (CLI) at the University of Oregon. The CLI is an educational, research, and technical assistance consortium aimed at increasing public understanding of the risks and opportunities posed by global warming. Website: http://climlead.uoregon.ed

Researchers Map Impacts of Sea Level Rise in Oregon: Find That “Economically Reasonable” Policies To Reduce Global Warming Emissions Are Sound Investments

2 p. news release describes the impacts of a potential catastrophic sea level rise in Oregon and advocates for climate protection policies. 2 maps show the potential impact of a catastrophic sea level rise on Oregon and on the areas of Portland and Tillamook.Researchers from Lewis and Clark College and the University of Oregon today released a report and maps describing the impacts of a potential catastrophic sea level rise in Oregon. The researchers found that a number of climate protection policies would be good investments to protect against the potential large scale impacts of sea level rise and other increasing risks posed by global warming