NPCA Report:
Unnatural Disaster: Global Warming and Our National Parks
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(PDF, 5.8 MB, 48 pages)
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Introduction
Map
Appalachian case study
South Florida case study
Alaska case study
Pacific coast mountains case study
Historic coastal regions case study
Climate friendly parks
Action Center
Download >> What We Need to Do Now to Protect Our National Parks -- Our highlights brochure with a detailed map of global warming's impact on our national parks.
The gradual, accelerated warming of our planet will have disastrous consequences for America's national parks. Glaciers in the national parks of Alaska as well as North Cascades and Mount Rainier National Parks will continue to disappear; Joshua trees will no longer exist at Joshua Tree National Park; and a rising sea will drown Everglades National Park and portions of historic sites such as Colonial National Historical Park, site of the first permanent English settlement at Jamestown.
But all is not lost. Although the situation seems dire, NPCA's report, Unnatural Disaster, says we can still halt the most severe effects of climate change if we take action now. NPCA offers recommended actions for federal, state, and local governments, along with individuals, to take to slow, and in some cases, halt the damage to our national parks. The national parks offer a unique opportunity to draw attention to America’s priceless resources at risk, and to showcase opportunities to act to protect them.
Related Information
- Learn what the National Park Service is doing to create 'Climate Friendly Parks'
- Listen to Park Stories: The Canaries in the Coal Mine, to learn about the changes global warming is bringing to the fragile desert ecosystem of Joshua Tree National Park.
