Safeguarding Summer

• Frank Szollosi and Casey Skeens
• Aug 15, 2018

With each passing summer, more of our summertime activities are affected by climate change.

Some of these changes are direct connections like hotter summers contributing to droughts and wildfires or to an increase in hurricanes, flooding, and sea level rise. Other connections to climate change are less readily apparent but not less significant, such as increases in toxic algae outbreaks or parasites like ticks and mosquitoes that each can put local communities, pets, and wildlife at a greater risk. Even summer pastimes like baseball are being affected by climate change both on and off the field.

This report chronicles the latest scientific findings on these issues and recent developments in the fight against climate change and how we can engage on these issues to save our summers now and for future generations.

What’s at Stake

The nationwide economy supported by outdoor recreation—jobs that can’t be outsourced

• $887 billion annually and 7.6 million jobs
• In 2016, 103 million U.S. residents 16 and older participated in wildlife-related recreation
• Over 35.8 million fished, 11.5 million hunted, 86 million participated in at least one wildlife-watching activity

Recommendations & Solutions

• Reduce carbon emissions from the power sector
• Reduce methane pollution from oil and gas infrastructure
• Reduce carbon emissions from the transportation sector
• Enact an economy-wide price on carbon