By Amanda Pankau
This summer, we have experienced the impacts of climate change in its many forms here in Illinois: drought, wildfires, torrential rainfall, and extreme heat.
In Illinois, we had the 9th driest June in 128 years of records, and by the end of June, severe drought impacted over half the state. Wildfires burning in Canada brought smoke to the Midwest causing extremely poor and unhealthy air quality, with Chicago becoming the city with the worst air quality on Earth for a day. June ended and July began with extreme precipitation and damaging storm events across much of Illinois, a pattern that is consistent with long-term changes. In fact, over the past 120 years, annual precipitation totals in Illinois have increased by five inches, and rainfall events have gotten more intense with the number of 2-inch rain days increasing by 40%. As I write this in late July, a heat wave that has been baking the southwest for weeks moves into the Midwest, with several days of heat indexes over 100°F forecasted.
It’s Bad…
While climate change is not solely to blame for this summer’s weather (i.e. El Nino), we are seeing weather extremes that are only projected to get worse. According to the Illinois state climatologist, Trent Ford, as climate change intensifies, Illinois is expected to have warmer temperatures, extreme summer heat, prolonged droughts, and an overall increase in precipitation that often comes as heavy rain with longer dry spells.
…But We Have Reason to Hope!
As you know, climate change, and its anticipated weather extremes, are caused by human-made emissions of carbon pollution and other greenhouse gasses. The US, and Illinois in particular, has made significant strides that will usher in deep cuts to these emissions, largely thanks to state policies like Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) and the August 2022 federal passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). As we approach the one-year anniversary of the IRA, a recent report found that the IRA and state climate bills will reduce emissions between 29-42% in 2030 compared to 2005 levels. While monumental and ambitious, without additional action, we are falling short of our Paris Agreement pledge to reduce emissions 50-52% by 2030.
We have work to do. We must continue to rally and advocate for legislative action and systemic change to slash emissions, mitigate the worst of climate change, and adapt to the unavoidable changes. We must also work to equitably implement the already pioneering new programs created by CEJA and the IRA.
Prairie Rivers Network is supporting communities in taking advantage of programs and funding opportunities to adopt clean energy, address legacy pollution, and increase climate resiliency. We are bringing to life policies that we fought to pass in CEJA, like the Energy Transition Community Grant program, that is bringing support to more than 50 coal communities to address the economic and social impacts of fossil fuel plant and coal mine closures. Through this program and upcoming clean energy workforce hubs across the state, Illinois is leading the way in showing how the transition away from coal can be just and equitable.
We continue to lead work on the cleanup of coal ash and abandoned mine lands, and we are ensuring that technologies like Carbon Capture and Storage do not harm communities and extend the life of polluting fossil fuel and ethanol plants. We are identifying and pursuing nature-based projects for our rivers that will create a more climate-friendly economy and help to sustain our local ecosystems.
Our work depends on you—in rallying the public, lobbying our elected leaders, and encouraging our own communities to take action on clean energy and climate resiliency. These are critical to the success of the collective work of mitigating and adapting to climate change. Are you ready to help?
