by Moses Leos III
Climate change has messed with Texas. At least, such an opinion was proposed in an article by grist.org, entitled, “Screwed by climate change: 10 cities that will be hardest hit.”
In the article, cities such as South Paris, Maine, and Barrow, Alaska, were tabbed as areas where climate change has affected normal everyday life.
However, when it came to Texas, the article did not name any individual city. Rather, it chronicled the entire state as an affected region of climate change. From the increasing severity of storms, to the way climate change affects agriculture, Texas has been messed with by climate change.
Yet, Richard Dixon, Texas State University associate professor in Geography since 1995, believes such a wide-encompassing statement is not entirely accurate.
“Texas will continue to see impacts of global climate change, but it will not change the entire state,” Dixon said. “Only portions of the state will be affected. Texas is too large to be placed under a blanket statement such as that.”
Dixon believes, however, that climate change will continue to impact the state, primarily within the state and local governments. He said climate change affects the way local governments adapt to weather patterns, while the state has changed the way they plan for weather events.
The goal, according to Dixon, is to prepare for the increasing intensity of climate change within the state.
“Many governments have adopted the strategy to adapt [to climate change],” Dixon said.
The recent increase in severe weather events forced Hays County to adapt to climate change, as well.
“In Hays County, we tend to see more extreme weather events, ranging from drought periods to periods of heavy rain” Dixon said. “Due to the recent growth of the area, extreme weather events place more people at risk.”
The result is more cities planning for weather events brought on by climate change. Buda, for example, underwent drastic changes in water conservation, as well as spent money to purchase additional sources of water in the event of extreme drought.
Agriculture has also been affected by climate change, primarily through extreme drought periods. To explain, Dixon personified irrigation practices, saying they work much in the same way a person looks for water resources.
“During a drought, agriculture must work with all competing interests,” Dixon said. “They need to conserve, much in the same way a household is required to conserve.”
The continued education of water conservation methods is something Dixon wants to impress upon the public.
“The cheapest water developed is the water you save,” he said.
An increase in temperatures also heightens pestilence and diseases in agricultural crops. As a result, Dixon said, farmers and agriculture companies spend more money to alleviate the issues.
Dixon said agricultural issues of varying degrees exist within certain parts of the state, but it is a problem that greatly concerns the industry.
While he maintains a concern for increased climate change, Dixon is impressed by the increased awareness of the Austin metro area residents, primarily with the depth of environmental awareness education in the area.
“I am very encouraged by cities in Central Texas towards environmental awareness,” Dixon said.
He is hopeful continued education will eventually lead to the increased installation of more adaptation strategies. While he admits to a high cost for the strategies, Dixon believes cities are better off with them in place, calling the strategies an “insurance policy” for Texas cities.
Dixon maintains that it is impossible to point to a singular event and proclaim it a result of climate change.
However, recent changes in the strength in hurricanes and trends over time worry Dixon.
“Personally, I am concerned with the increased variability in everyday weather patterns. With more variability comes more extremes,” Dixon said. “As we go through more extreme events, there will be an increase in losses, both monetarily and human.”
While he is confident in the heads of state for the increased awareness of climate change, he said they need to do more in the future.
“I applaud our heads of state [for adapting to climate change],” Dixon said. “However, we always need to be more aggressive towards educating people and raising awareness.”
