South Carolina

South Carolina is a state in the southeastern United States sharing borders with Georgia and North Carolina and with an Atlantic seacoast of 2,876 mi. (4,628 km). The state has considerable geographical variety, from the Blue Ridge Mountains to Atlantic beaches and subtropical coastal islands. It has a humid subtropical climate with hot summers, cold winters, and ample precipitation year-round. Tropical storms and hurricanes are a common occurrence in the summer months. South Carolina has a rich diversity of native wildlife, including 120 types of fish, 96 mammals, 313 birds, 72 reptiles, and 66 amphibians. Agriculture and forestry are important industries in the state, with an estimated economic impact of $33.9 billion per year: 92 percent of all land in South Carolina is used for either farming or forestry. Hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing are also important contributors to the state's economy: in 2006, these activities produced nearly $2.1 billion in revenue and supported almost 40,000 jobs.

Annual temperature and rainfall have been monitored in South Carolina for almost 100 years, and over that time the state has become warmer and drier, particularly since 1957: from 1957 to 1991, the average annual temperature increased by nearly 1 degree F (0.56 degree C), while precipitation decreased by 3.2 in (8.12 cm) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that by 2100, average temperatures in South Carolina could rise by 5.4 degrees F (9.7 degrees C) if global warming continues at its current pace. This rapid increase in temperature would have a severe effect on the state's pine forests, which are expected to be unable to adapt and would be largely replaced by grasslands and hardwood forests.

The coastal sea level in South Carolina has risen 9 in. (22.8 cm) in the past century and is predicted to rise an additional 19 in. (48 cm) in the next century if global warming continues unchecked. This would result in considerable beach erosion and the incursion of salt water into freshwater supplies. Rising coastal levels would also threaten coastal ecosystems such as that contained within the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, home to species such as the red-cockaded woodpecker, brown pelican, and loggerhead sea turtle: a worst-case scenario projects the loss of over half of the area in this refuge.

Major storms, including hurricanes, have increased by about 50 percent since the 1970s, a change tied to increased average sea surface temperatures. These storms threaten coastal development, which will also be affected by rising sea levels. Insurance premiums for coastal properties have risen accordingly: in 2006, premiums [Page 1276]increased 15 to 25 percent for properties on the South Carolina coast.

The human costs of global warming projected in South Carolina include increased heat-related illness and death (although a decrease in cold-related illness and death is also expected, it is expected to be less than the increase due to heat) and increased risks of shellfish-borne disease in coastal areas. Rising sea levels and increased erosion will threaten both homes and industries located on the coasts, while wetlands, which provide important habitats for many types of wildlife, will be increasingly lost to erosion and invasion of salt water. Changes in rainfall patterns will lead to increased runoff in some areas, including storm surge flooding, and increased drought in others. Changes in temperature and salinity may also favor invasive species over those native to the state, while weeds (rather than cash crops) are more favored by higher temperatures and increased carbon dioxide levels.

...