The threat of climate change is looming over Illinois. From heatwaves and prolonged polar vortex, to major flooding, the state has been subject to the devastating effects of an altered climate. Lake Michigan has begun eating into the state’s coastline and sinking Chicago. Agriculture is at risk with rising temperatures bolstering the survival rate and reproduction of pests. All these necessitate a need for every Illinoisan to pay more attention to the threat posed by climate change to the entire Midwest.
In 2015, the Washington Post issued a warning that rising temperatures would make Chicago "a lot like today's Texas, having even more days per year above 95 degrees than the Lone Star State currently does." This came two decades after the heatwave of 1995 killed 739 residents in a span of five days. Despite the tragic toll of extreme temperatures, Illinoisans have learned little in the past 25 years, with heat waves becoming more frequent and intense. Unless the government acts today, tomorrow is at risk.
About 50 people fall prey to heatwaves in Chicago every year. Climate change is expected to worsen it in the coming years leading to more heat strokes, dehydration, heart problems, and cerebrovascular diseases. Children, the elderly, and those with illnesses will find the hot air harder to breathe and become more prone to respiratory disorders. Poor air quality also brings in more issues and creates COVID-19-like infections.
The temperature increase will also impact agriculture in Illinois and the surrounding states. With heightened severity, it may pose a threat to ecological changes altering the flora and fauna in the state. Warmer winters mean more insects, pests, and invasive species that may harm crops. There has been an increase in average precipitation in Illinois in Winter, Spring, and Fall. Excess moisture has its impact on crop production, as high precipitation delays field preparation and planting. Also, early Summer precipitation and increased temperatures in April, May, and June may limit insecticide spray hours and inhibit the attempts to control the invasive flora and fauna. Soil erosion and nutrient runoff are also increasing with the rise in precipitation.
Illinois is facing an increased risk of frequent floods due to climate change. In the last five decades, the average annual precipitation has gone up by 10%. During the four wettest days of the year, this is as high as 35%. The region sees a 20% rise in water flow when the worst floods happen in a year. With climate change likely to cause more Spring rainfall and augmented precipitation, the state is sure to see more severe rainstorms. This threatens inhabitants with an enhanced risk of flooding.
Global warming is the part of climate change that has the most notorious impact on areas away from the equator. It is estimated that the Great Lakes region will turn between three and seven degrees fahrenheit warmer in the next six to seven decades. The water quality of Lake Michigan will continue to suffer from more algal blooms and increase the inflow of pollutants from the land caused by rain and storms. State residents, who depend on the lake for drinking water supplies, would be at the receiving end of the changing water quality.
With the rise in temperatures, snow coming to Lake Michigan each year from snow belts in the north melts faster with each passing decade. As a result, its water level is increasing. The Adler Planetarium vantage points and the panorama from Navy Pier built about a century ago have lost at least 4 inches of height compared to the lake water level, and the rising water has swallowed up several places along with the Illinois coast. In 2019, Chicago lost two beaches completely to the lake water while many others were forced to be closed.
Lake Michigan has surged about six feet compared to its position in January 2013, which has dramatically altered the shoreline. It has barred fishermen from using piers, sea lovers from enjoying beaches, and seafarers from approaching jetties. Lakefront pathways are now underwater at many stretches. Chicago’s Thorndale beach has shrunk considerably while Fargo Beach Park is now underwater. The soil of Howard Beach Park has been washed away. Authorities have also closed the North Avenue Beach trail, as part of it is flooded.
These are very significant examples of the impact that climate change is having in the state. This is not something that a small group of activists or a local campaign can handle. It is up to the state government to make powerful, impactful moves that will enforce overall policies that can curb and even reverse these changes so that we can build a better future for the next generation of Illinoisans.
