Climate Change in New England: From Science to Solutions

Climate changes. It always has and always will. However, an extensive and growing body of scientific evidence shows that human activities are now the primary force driving change in the Earth’s climate system.

Detailed analysis of meteorological records shows that New England has been getting warmer and wetter, and extreme precipitation events have increased dramatically, over the past five decades. Statistical downscaling of global climate model simulations indicates that the region will continue to get warmer and wetter, and extreme precipitation events and summertime drought will become more frequent.

But significant improvements across New England in renewable energy and energy efficiency, combined with plans to adapt to our changing climate, suggest that climate change is the innovation opportunity of the 21st Century.

Support for the Ted Exford Climate Stewards lecture series is provided by Dave & Loretta (Exford) Hoglund.
 

Cameron P. Wake, Ph.D. leads a research program at the University of New Hampshire investigating regional climate change through the analysis of ice cores records and instrumental data, and communicating the science and impacts of climate change with a range of regional stakeholders. Cameron also helps lead Climate Solutions New England, a collaborative effort to secure healthy, prosperous, and sustainable communities through the pursuit of integrated solutions that include building energy self-reliance and weather resilience. 

His collaborative research on several regional climate assessments in the northeast United States has been shared with municipal, state, and federal agencies and representatives, has been covered widely in the media, and has been cited by several as motivation for policy action. He is an author on over 75 scientific papers and several peer-reviewed reports and has mentored dozens of graduate students. In addition, he has provided hundreds of interviews for state, regional, and national media. In recognition of his engaged scholarship around the issue of climate change, Cameron was awarded the UNH Faculty Award of Excellence in Public Service in 2010.

Dr. Wake received a B.Sc. in Geology (1984) from the University of Ottawa, an M.A. in Geography (1987) from Wilfrid Laurier University, and a Ph.D. in Earth Sciences (1993) from the University of New Hampshire.