How Will Climate Change Affect the New York Metropolitan Region?
 

The objectives of this section are to show the climate changes projected for the New York metropolitan region – in temperature, precipitation, and sea-level rise – and to explain how these changes could affect the people and places of the region. Encompassing 13,000 square miles (33,670 square kilometers) and divided into 31 counties in and around New York City, this is one of the most important urban areas in the world. The climate is temperate, and cooling sea breezes occur along the coast. The region has been warming over the last 100 years, and climate change is expected to bring further changes over the next century. In addition to climate change, the urban heat island effect causes New York City and other cities in the region to be warmer than surrounding areas due to the absorption of sunlight by buildings and pavements during the day and re-radiation as heat at night.

A broad set of potential climate change impacts have been identified, including shifts in regional water supplies, increased energy demand, greater public health threats, enhanced probability of flooding, and ecological changes. Potential climate impacts on coastal communities are highlighted here because of the likelihood that these communities will be more negatively affected by climate change than other parts of the region. Specific changes include increased risk of coastal flooding and greater exposure of residents, their property, coastal wetlands, and tidal marshes to inundation from sea level rise. The transportation infrastructure is also vulnerable to potentially hazardous flooding events. Finally, the possible costs associated with damages and losses to coastal communities, environments, and infrastructure are discussed.

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1. What changes in climate are projected for the region?
    
2. What major climate change impacts are projected for the coming decades?
    
3. How might climate change affect the coastal environment and coastal communities? 
    
4. How will climate change affect the region’s transportation system?
    
5. What are the projected costs of climate change impacts on the region's coastal communities and coastal environments?