Climate Change

President Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement set off protests nationwide - with some Governors, cities, and businesses, signing on to their own pledges.  But how much does Paris really matter - to what's already happening in New Hampshire?  We'll sort out the politics from the policy. 

Over the past century, heavy rainfall and snowstorms have grown more frequent and more severe in many parts of the U.S.—including the northeast—as a result of our warming climate. In a study published last month, researchers from Dartmouth College, University of Vermont, and Columbia University investigated exactly what those changes looked like here in New England.

On Saturday, people will march through downtown Concord, part of a nationwide demonstration called March for Science.

Organizers say the marches are nonpartisan, but many taking part cite concerns over the Trump administration’s uncertain position toward climate science, as well as proposed budget cuts.

It’s raising questions about whether scientists should get involved in what could be perceived as a political event.

We tagged along with Diane DeLuca, a biologist with NH Audubon on her rounds of the Deering Wildlife Sanctuary. DeLuca has been working on their Phenological Monitoring Pilot Project, and defines phenology as "the study of 'phenophases', which are the different phases that plants and animals go through in their life cycle each year." 

Those early hints of spring can call to a gardener like a siren song. Yet the urge to get one’s seeds into dirt can be dangerous: most seedlings won’t survive a single frost. To help with that, gardeners use 30-year averages that predict when the last frost will probably occur. The thing is, in New England, climate change has temperatures rising relatively quickly.

Monday is the vernal equinox: that’s the beginning of spring, according to astronomers. For ecologists, spring isn’t just a matter of the earth’s rotation around the sun.  

The winter tourism industry in New Hampshire provides thousands of jobs and garners millions of visits to resorts across the state. In the past few years, however, shorter, irregular seasons have forced ski resorts to adapt, either by using snow machines far more than expected, or preparing for fewer customers. Today, we're looking at how skiing, and winter sports, are changing across the Granite State. 

A continuation of our series on New Hampshire infrastructure: wastewater and dam structures are old, crumbling, and vulnerable to severe weather. Intense storms, flooding, and drought have all contributed to the damage, and many of our dams and underground pipes are over 100 years old. We'll discuss the challenges with tackling this problem, including lack of funding, and stricter regulation requirements.

Yesterday, a new report was released with suggestions for how Seacoast communities should prepare for the effects of climate change. The document could influence town planning and development in the region for years.

The report came from the Coastal Risk and Hazards Commission, which was created by the legislature back in 2013. It had 37-members representing Seacoast towns, state agencies, and private-sector interests.

A new book by Stephen Long describes how this giant storm transformed the New England landscape and seared itself into the memory of its people.  We’ll delve into just how big it was, the wide-ranging impacts, including how the hurricane created public works projects and developed new thinking around forestry. We'll also talk about preparation for the next inevitable great storm.

  This program was originally broadcast on 4/11/16.

For New Hampshire’s Seacoast, it’s no secret that climate change and the resulting rise in sea-level rise is one of the biggest challenges facing the region. But while the threat is well known, the ways Seacoast communities are preparing for it aren’t always what you’d expect. NHPR’s Jason Moon reports for our month-long series Life on the Seacoast.

Researchers say an algae called "rock snot" that was thought to be an invasive species in the Northeast is actually native to the northern United States. So if “rock snot” has been here for a long time, why haven’t we noticed it before? To answer this question we turn to Granite Geek David Brooks. He’s a reporter with The Concord Monitor and writer at Granitegeek.org, and he joined NHPR’s Peter Biello to discuss the matter. 

Think back for a moment to last December. Do you think it was warmer than average? Colder? About average?

A new study suggests that your answer to that question may depend on a few factors, such as whether or not you believe in climate change or how many kids you have. By the way, December was warmer than average—much warmer, with temperatures shooting nearly 14 degrees above the average.

We tagged along with Diane DeLuca, a biologist with NH Audubon on her rounds of the Deering Wildlife Sanctuary. DeLuca has been working on their Phenological Monitoring Pilot Project, and defines phenology as "the study of 'phenophases', which are the different phases that plants and animals go through in their life cycle each year." 

When it comes to the players and intrigues of primary politics, Fergus Cullen, has plenty of stories. On today’s show, the former chair of the New Hampshire Republican Party dishes on some key moments of primaries past.

Plus, a look back at the first woman from a major party to run for President - Margaret Chase Smith.

And we'll remember an environmental issue that dominated the headlines decades before climate change was on the radar.

Whatever happened to the hole in the ozone, and other stories from a not-so-bygone-era.

The U.N. Climate Change Conference seeks agreement on limiting global warming to just two degrees Celsius over the next century.  Many say that's a tall order, but some are hopeful this summit could be more successful.  We'll take a New Hampshire look at this, including state impacts and efforts.

Guests:

Thirty-five mayors and other local elected officials from coastal communities all over the country gathered in New Hampshire this weekend to talk about Sea Level Rise. They came from both parties, and they didn’t wind up in the state that hosts the nation’s first primary by accident. 

Basically anywhere with a coast was represented.

There’s a cold snap on the way.

At least one town in Wyoming has set a new all-time low for the month of November, and that arctic air mass is now barreling its way toward New Hampshire.

While it’s unclear to what extent this cold actually is a piece of the polar vortex, that doesn’t mean the vortex isn’t an important driver of New England’s winter Climate. Experts are debating if more extreme swings from warm to cold are part of what a changed climate will look like in New England.