How Columbus is preparing for climate change's impact
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The Midwest is billed as a climate haven insulated from worsening destructive forces like wildfires and hurricanes — but experts say our region still has ample work to do in responding to our climate change effects.
Why it matters: A "hallmark" of how Midwestern states such as Ohio experience climate change is a "weather whiplash effect" like the prolonged drought followed by heavy rain as seen with Hurricane Helene.
- Those rapid shifts strain local infrastructure and hamper cities' ability to prepare and adapt, says Steve Bowen, Chicago-based chief scientist at the reinsurance company Gallagher Re.
How it started: Americans who move from one region to another are increasingly citing climate change as at least one driving factor, as they seek perceived safety from extreme weather.
- Parts of the Midwest have been deemed climate havens by city leaders and climate scientists for their protection from sea-level rise and more temperate weather near the Great Lakes.
Reality check: The Midwest's intensifying heat and precipitation still impose harsh conditions and put pressure on its infrastructure, Jeremy Porter, head of climate implications for the research group First Street Foundation, tells Axios.
Threat level: An emerging "extreme heat belt" in the center of the country, with heat index values reaching 110°-115°F, stretches from Texas to Southwestern Ohio, including Cincinnati.
- Extreme precipitation events like 100-year floods now occur every seven to eight years. That's because as the climate warms, the air can hold more moisture, Porter says.
Zoom in: Central Ohio's last three summers have been marked by unusual weather.
- A high-wind storm knocked out power for several days in June 2022 amid a dangerous heat wave.
- Canadian wildfires darkened skies and hindered air quality in 2023.
- And this year, Ohio's worst drought in decades is devastating local agriculture.
What they're saying: "We've always had weather," Bowen says of the region.
- "But what is definitely changing is the fact that the individual events themselves are starting to take on more extreme types of behavior — certainly more intense than we've seen before."
How cities are responding
Cities such as Columbus are on the frontlines of climate change, prompting some to act more swiftly than countries to combat the crisis.
Why it matters: Many of the physical structures supporting city operations were designed for past climate patterns and will need updating.
- Extreme heat and rain can cause major infrastructure damage, ranging from buckling roads and warped railroad lines to overflowing storm drains.
State of play: Cities are developing ambitious plans to slash their carbon footprints and mitigate impacts, with help from tens of billions of dollars for climate-related projects in President Biden's federal infrastructure bill.
- Climate change is becoming less polarizing, making it easier for large cities to pursue projects and hire climate teams, Porter says.
Zoom in: Columbus' efforts include improving stormwater infrastructure, installing solar microgrids as a backup power supply and pursuing cleaner energy.
- Some planning has already paid off. The city recently dipped into a reservoir built in 2014 to stave off water restrictions during the drought.
What we're watching: The city's Climate Action Plan, released in 2021, is due for its first update next year.
The bottom line: "There's still a little bit of a conception that we're in a better position here in Columbus and in Central Ohio, and to some degree, that's true," Sustainable Columbus assistant director Erin Beck tells Axios. "But we're not immune."