Report:

June 25, 1997

Report: Everglades threatened by global warming
By ROCIO DIAZ
Associated Press Writer

MIAMI -- The Everglades is in danger of being lost to global warming, a new report by the World Wildlife Fund says.

Everglades National Park, one of the world's most endangered habitats, may face serious damage and some protected species who make their homes there may face extinction because of Earth's climate change.

"Global climate change is one of our main environmental concerns," Joette Lorion, a representative of the conservation group Everglades Coalition, said at a news conference Tuesday.

The WWF report is based on a review of existing scientific literature and interviews with dozens of scientists. It also includes a new analysis of climate threats to vegetation zones in and around the United States.

According to the report, more than 2,500 top scientists agree that the Earth's atmosphere is significantly warming up due to pollution from burning coal, oil and gas.

Yellowstone, California's Yosemite, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge are among the other troubled federal park lands, the report said.

The Everglades ecosystem is threatened by multiple pressures including agriculture, urban development and water pollution. Climate change is another threat that could continue to worsen even if the other environmental problems can be relieved, environmentalists say.

Dr. Jack Parker, who chairs Florida International University's environmental studies department, said there were many things ordinary people could do to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide dumped into the air, thereby slowing down global warming.

"A low-flow shower head used by a family of four can reduce by almost 200 pounds per year the amount of carbon dioxide pumped out into the atmosphere," said Parker.

"We believe that it is critical that the government of the United States take a leadership role in the ongoing international negotiations to curb greenhouse gas emissions," said Steve Murchie of the Florida Consumer Action Network.

"We are asking President Clinton to support a strong international climate treaty, and to fulfill his promise to reduce U.S. emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2005."