| Popis: |
Climate change is contributing to increases in the size, severity, and cost of wildfires across western North America, and communities, policymakers, and legal experts are asking who bears responsibility. Research led by the Union of Concerned Scientists finds that nearly 19.8 million acres of forest area burned by wildfires across western North America since 1986—an area equivalent to the state of Maine—is attributable to heat-trapping emissions traced to 88 of the world’s largest fossil fuel producers and cement manufacturers. Emissions from those companies also contributed nearly half of the observed increase in fire-danger conditions across the region since 1901. These findings can inform discussions regarding the responsibility of major corporations for past, present, and future climate impacts. |
