Extreme weather has already cost the US $350 billion — and climate change is going to add to the bill

Extreme weather events like hurricanes and wildfires have already cost the US more than $350 billion over the last decade, and climate change is only going to make things worse, according to a new government report released today.

The study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), a federal agency that does audits on behalf of Congress, warns that climate change will impact various sectors and regions differently. For instance, storm losses from sea level rise, more intense storms, and increased flooding in coastal communities could cost the US as much as $89 billion by 2099, while changes in labor productivity from lost work hours could cost the country as much as $150 billion by the end of the century. The agency recommends that...

Continue reading…