Civil engineers involved in projects with design lives of 20 years or more need to consider changes in weather and climate statistics for many natural systems and across many environmental hazards. This applies irrespective of any government policy changes. The graphs below, from Bulletin No. 3, Documented Historic Indicators of Climate Change, show the unmistakable evidence of consistent, worldwide impacts of climate change over the past century.
These trends are only continuing. Civil and environmental engineers designing infrastructure with a life of 50-100 years need to anticipate ranges of continuing changes. For the skeptics you know who may be showing more willingness to adapt to what is clearly happening, show them the following graphs.
Climate Adaptation Engineering Bulletin No. 3
Documented Historic Indicators of Climate Change
For more background and to join an online discussion on these graphs, see Climate Adaptation Engineering Bulletin No. 3 in ASCE Collaborate.
