Download Illinois Fact Sheet

BOZEMAN, MONTANA
INTERNATIONAL
DENVER, COLORADO
JUNEAU, ALASKA
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
HONOLULU, HAWAII
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Illinois Fact Sheet on Climate Change
Why climate and energy policies and legislation matter to Illinois:

New analysis by the University of California, University of Illinois, and Yale University
reveals that strong federal clean-energy legislation could create up to 68,000 new jobs in
Illinois by 2020; boost Illinois’ GDP by $1.8 billion to $4.2 billion more than without
legislation; and lead to average real household income in Illinois that is $508 to $1,137 higher
per year than without the legislation (2008 dollars). (Report: Clean Energy and Climate Policy for
U.S. Growth and Job Creation: An Economic Assessment of the American Clean Energy and Security Act
and the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act)
Why climate change matters to Illinois:

Model projections of summer average temperature and precipitation changes in Illinois and
Michigan for midcentury (2040-2059), and end-of-century (2080-2099), indicate that
summers in these states are expected to feel progressively more like summers currently
experienced in states South and West. Both states are projected to get considerably warmer
and have less summer precipitation. (Report: Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States,
U.S. Global Change Research Program)

Heat waves that are more frequent, more severe, and longer lasting are projected. The
frequency of hot days and the length of the heat-wave season both will be more than twice
as great under a higher emissions scenario compared to a lower emissions scenario. (Report:
Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States, U.S. Global Change Research Program)

The Union of Concerned Scientists and Ecological Society of America estimate that by the
end of the century winter temperatures will increase by 7-23 degrees and summer
temperatures by 9-17 degrees.

Over the past 15 years extreme weather events have increased – these include the drought of
1988, the heat waves of 1995 and 1996, the Mississippi river floods in 1993 and 2002 as well
as an increase in the severity of tornadoes and storms. (Union of Concerned Scientists).

Poor air quality, especially in cities, is a serious concern across the United States. Half of all
Americans, 158 million people, live in counties where air pollution exceeds national health
standards. While the Clean Air Act has improved air quality, higher temperatures and
associated stagnant air masses are expected to make it more challenging to meet air quality
standards, particularly for ground-level ozone (a component of smog). It has been firmly
established that breathing ozone results in short-term decreases in lung function and
damages the cells lining the lungs. It also increases the incidence of asthma-related hospital
visits and premature deaths. (Report: Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States, U.S.
Global Change Research Program)
BOZEMAN, MONTANA
INTERNATIONAL
DENVER, COLORADO
JUNEAU, ALASKA
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
HONOLULU, HAWAII
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA
WASHINGTON, D.C.

By the end of this century, the number of heat-wave days in Los Angeles is projected to
double, and the number in Chicago to quadruple, if emissions are not reduced. Events such
as the Chicago heat wave of 1995, which resulted in over 700 deaths, will become more
common. (Report: Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States, U.S. Global Change
Research Program)

According to the American Lung Association’s 2009 State of the Air report, 244,269
residents suffer from pediatric asthma, 650,414 from Adult Asthma, 265,182 from Chronic
Bronchitis and 127,091 from Emphysema. These conditions and their frequency will
worsen with the decreased air quality that climate change causes.

A January 2009 study by the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that a drop in
particulate matter between 1980 and 2000 increased life expectancy by an average of 5
months in 51 US cites including Chicago.

Projections suggest higher rain and snow levels in the winter and spring. Rain is projected to
come in more severe downpours, contributing to flooding. (Report: Global Climate Change
Impacts in the United States, U.S. Global Change Research Program)

Farmington, IL tied St. Louis, MO as the 17th most ozone polluted metropolitan area and as
the 16th worst city for year round particle pollution as ranked by the American Lung
Association in 2009; Chicago tied Detroit as the 9th most polluted city for short term
particle pollution. Climate change will further worsen air quality and ozone pollution in these
Illinois cities.

2008 National Council Research findings have linked ozone to premature death. A study
headed by Susan Anenberg of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, found that
more than 20,000 lives a year could be saved if major industrial regions cut their emissions of
ozone-triggering gases by a fifth.