| Summary: | We New Englanders expect our weather to be changing all of the time. Our daily weather and overall climate in the region are arguably some of the most varied in the world. Based on ice core analyses, the climate of the Northern Hemisphere is more variable than the more oceanic Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, glaciers primarily come and go around the rim of the North Atlantic, not around the Pacific rim. Changes have been dramatic over geologic time. Twenty thousand years ago we were under a mile or two of ice. A new report entitled "Preparing for a Changing Climate: The Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change. A New England Regional Overview," funded by the National Science Foundation, documents both the effects of climate changes in New England since 1895, and the possible consequences of 21 sl century climate change. Coping strategies described in the report include: opportunities to minimize risks associated with climate variation, co-benefits of more efficient energy use, and adaptation options for possible climate changes. The report also discusses remaining uncertainties in model predictions and potential impacts as well as ways to reduce remaining uncertainties.
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