一項新研究顯示，如果不大幅減少溫室氣體排放，到21世紀末美國南部經(jīng)濟就有可能因為氣候變化而遭到全面打擊。

由于南部有許多已經(jīng)是美國最貧困的地區(qū)，上述情況將進一步加劇仍在擴大的貧富差距。

來自芝加哥大學、羅格斯大學等方面的研究者借助100多項氣候研究產(chǎn)生的大數(shù)據(jù)得出結論說，墨西哥灣沿岸各州，比如佛羅里達和路易斯安那，將面臨最嚴重的海平面上升以及暴風雨災害。某些地區(qū)的收入水平將因此永久性下降20%。

這些研究者指出，如果不采取措施應對氣候變化，其他南方州的極端高溫天氣將增加暴力犯罪、空調使用開支以及整體死亡人數(shù)。得克薩斯、阿肯色、俄克拉荷馬、密西西比、阿拉巴馬以及喬治亞也將受到最嚴重的影響。

同時，災害影響的范圍可能不僅僅限于南方。

該研究報告聯(lián)合撰寫人、芝加哥大學學者阿米爾·吉納在一篇新聞稿中表示：“美國中西部遭受的農(nóng)業(yè)損失可能類似于20世紀30年代的嚴重沙塵暴。”

吉納所說的那次沙塵暴源于農(nóng)用土地的過度開發(fā)，它仍是美國歷史上最嚴重的人為生態(tài)災難。沙塵暴造成的破壞在幾年時間內得到了控制，而扭轉氣候變化的影響則要困難得多。（財富中文網(wǎng)）

譯者：Charlie

審稿：夏林

Without a significant reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions, the southern portion of the United States will likely suffer broad economic devastation from the effects of climate change by the end of the 21st century, according to a new study.

Because many of those regions are already the poorest in the U.S., the effects would further heighten already rising income inequality.

Researchers from institutions including the University of Chicago and Rutgers, using large data sets culled from more than 100 climate studies, concluded that Gulf Coast states such as Florida and Louisiana will be exposed to the most severe sea level rise and storm surges. Those conditions could result in permanent 20% declines in incomes in some areas.

Without action on climate, other southern states will see extreme heat that the researchers say will increase violent crime, air conditioning costs, and overall mortality. Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia will also be among the states most severely impacted.

The south, though, would not be alone in enduring adverse effects.

"Here in the Midwest," University of Chicago coauthor Amir Jina said in a news release, "we may see agricultural losses similar to the Dustbowl of the 1930s."

That catastrophe, caused by agricultural overdevelopment, remains the worst human-caused ecological disaster in U.S. history. The ravages of the Dust Bowl were controlled within a few years, but the effects of climate change would be much more difficult to reverse.