Utility records show that increased temperatures increase overall energy consumption in the United States. As global temperatures increase, locations can expect fewer extremely cold days (<10° F) during winter and more extremely hot days (>95° F) during summer. For the Southeast, Great Plains, and the Southwest, the number of extremely hot days is projected to increase substantially compared to the decrease in the number of extremely cold days.
In 2016, natural gas replaced coal as the leading source of electricity generation in the United States, and net imports of petroleum reached a new low. New drilling technologies (mainly hydraulic fracturing or "fracking") have increased natural gas production, lowered prices, and enabled greater consumption.
The vast majority of individuals and businesses across the United States count on a secure supply of energy, for everything from charging mobile phones to running massive industrial operations. As interconnections among telecommunications, transportation, and other critical systems increase, efforts to build resilience of the energy sector will benefit nearly everyone.
Supply chains are the sequences of processes involved in the production and distribution of goods and services. In today’s economy, many supply chains are complex international networks that rely on roads, rails, waterways, air routes, and pipelines to gather raw materials and deliver goods and services to the customers who use them. Telecommunication systems are also an important part of supply chains: communication services are essential for tracking and coordinating inventories and orders.
Multiple climate-related events and impacts pose threats to regular aviation services. Commercial aviation schedules in the United States are very tight, with thousands of aircraft simultaneously aloft. Delays in any part of the system can propagate across the nation and around the world. The list of "extreme events" that concern the aviation sector are somewhat different than those that concern surface transportation. For instance, severe thunderstorms near major aviation hubs can cause major disruptions in aviation, but only transitory disruptions to surface transportation.
In addition to increases in temperatures expected for all parts of the country, many regions will also experience changes in the magnitude and timing of precipitation. Climate scientists often summarize projected trends with the statement, “wet places will get wetter and dry places will get drier.” These changes are likely to have both positive and negative effects on water-based transportation along rivers, in lakes, and in the oceans.
Increased temperatures, extreme precipitation events, and rising sea levels represent threats to many elements of the United States' land-based transportation system. Extreme weather and climate-related events can damage infrastructure, increase maintenance needs, and interrupt normal operations of roads, bridges, railways, and vehicles. In our fast-paced economy, any disruption of the transportation network can delay the delivery of materials, goods, and people, triggering a cascade of delays and economic impacts across multiple systems.
