Think about where you live.
What happens when it’s really, really hot outside?
What happens to the plants?
The animals?
You?
When temperatures rise globally, it doesn't just get hotter.
Weather patterns also get out of sync, causing more extreme weather events.
Resulting in hurricanes, floods, droughts and wildfires happening more frequently, and more severely.
Why do rising temperatures lead to more frequent and more intense extreme events?
2019
Kincade Fire, Northern California
2019
More heat means water evaporates quicker. This causes new patterns in rainfall, which can cause floods in some areas and droughts in others.
2002
Lake Albert, Oregon
2022
Hotter ocean temperatures make hurricanes stronger and causes coral reefs to die off.
1986
Mýrdalsjökull Ice Cap
2014
Hotter temperatures also melt ice caps in the North and South Poles, making sea levels rise.
A changing climate is a global phenomena but the impacts at different locations are different.
Ready to explore our changing climate?
Click on where you live to see what changes have happened.
regional map interactive
What do you think are the most important impacts in your community?
Safety scientists all over the world and at UL Research Institutes are working hard to help answer this question.
The impacts of an extreme event can go well beyond just the event itself. They can have other effects that can be felt for a long time.
For example, a wildfire impacts forests and the animals that live there, but it can also cause other problems.
Researchers at ULRIS’s Chemical Insights Research Institute are looking at how wildfire smoke can cause health issues in people.
Researchers at ULRI’s Fire Safety Research Institute are looking at how wildfires ignite, spread, and impact communities, helping improve safety, response, and resilience.
