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Sept. 19, 2019Des Moines, IA |  By: AP

Iowan scientists warn of the impacts of global warming

More than 200 scientists from 38 Iowa colleges and
universities have signed on to a climate change statement that warns of
"sobering extreme heat projections" for the Midwest that will put people,
livestock, and pets at risk.

The statement released Wednesday says the World Meteorological Association
identified July as the hottest month in more than 140 years of record-keeping.

The scientists say the atmosphere and earth's surface are warming at an
unprecedented rate and by mid-century temperatures in Iowa will exceed 90
degrees for 67 days per year, compared to the average of 23 days in recent
decades.

Peter Thorne, director of the University of Iowa Environmental Health Sciences
Research Center, says adaptations will include expanded disaster preparedness,
increased energy use, and curtailment of outdoor work and recreation during times
of extreme heat.

The University of Iowa Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research
has released annual climate statements since 2011. They are vetted by Iowa's top
experts and are intended to place climate change research into an Iowa-specific
context and encourage preparedness.