IMPACTS

In recent decades, communities around the world have witnessed changes in climate conditions, including a significant warming trend and an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Concomitant changes are expected to occur in regional patterns of temperature, precipitation, and sea level, with resultant impacts on most societal, economic, and environmental aspects of existence on this planet. With the increasing world population, impacts can be expected not only in the areas of agriculture and water resources, affecting food security, but also via the sea-level rise affecting coastal settlements including a number of the world’s major cities. These impacts are expected to impinge on the economy and the welfare of every nation. Uncertainty related to future weather conditions and extreme events will put additional pressure on arid regions, where water shortages are already occurring and agriculture accounts for the large majority of all water consumption. In addition, future weather conditions and extremes are expected to deeply reduce the yield of most crops and lead to new challenges in terms of food safety and food security. Climate change will also have important consequences on public infrastructures, transportation systems, on labor markets, trade and migration, health, air pollution and natural systems.

 

Areas of Research Focus

At the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, research teams across campus are focused on various topics related to the impacts of changing climate.

These researchers are addressing the impact of the changing climate:

  • on water resources and water management; 
  • on crop productivity and land use;
  • on terrestrial, freshwater, and marine species;
  • on human health, pests, and diseases;
  • on urban areas and infrastructure; and
  • on international trade, human migration, and the regional and global economy.

Researchers

Daniel Abrams

Daniel Abrams

Groundwater

Jennie Atkins

Jennie Atkins

Environmental monitoring

Eun Jeong Cha

Eun Jeong Cha

Environmental engineering

Liang Chen

Liang Chen

Climatology

Maria Librada Chu

Maria Librada Chu

Ag/bio engineering

Piotr Cienciala

Piotr Cienciala

Geography/GIS

Benjamin Clegg

Benjamin Clegg

Biology

Jennifer Fraterrigo

Jennifer Fraterrigo

Nature, environment

Kaiyu Guan

Kaiyu Guan

Nature, environment

Alexandra Harmon-Threatt

Alexandra Harmon-Threatt

Entomology

Robert Hudson

Robert Hudson

Nature, environment

Andrew Hultgren

Andrew Hultgren

Climate impacts, economics

Atul Jain

Atul Jain

Atmospheric sciences

Brian Jewett

Brian Jewett

Atmospheric sciences

Angela Kent

Angela Kent

Nature, environment

Megan Konar

Megan Konar

Environmental engineering

David Kristovich

David Kristovich

Atmospheric sciences, water

Praveen Kumar

Praveen Kumar

Environmental engineering

Eric Larson

Eric Larson

Nature, environment

Sonia Lasher-Trapp

Sonia Lasher-Trapp

Atmospheric sciences

Franklin Lombardo

Franklin Lombardo

Environmental engineering

Hong Lu

Hong Lu

Environmental chemistry

Craig Lundstrom

Craig Lundstrom

Geochemistry

Andrew Mackay

Andrew Mackay

Vector ecology

Amy Marshall-Colón

Amy Marshall-Colón

Plant biology

Jim Miller

Jim Miller

Nature, environment

Brenda Molana-Flores

Brenda Molana-Flores

Nature

Cristian Proistosescu

Cristian Proistosescu

Atmospheric sciences

Robert Rauber

Robert Rauber

Atmospheric sciences

Nicole Riemer

Nicole Riemer

Atmospheric sciences

Lance Schideman

Lance Schideman

Water and wastewater pollution and treatment

Robert Schooley

Robert Schooley

Nature, environment

Mary Schuler

Mary Schuler

Biology

Ashish Sharma

Ashish Sharma

Atmospheric sciences, climatology

Jinelle Hutchins Sperry

Jinelle Hutchins Sperry

Nature, environment

Kirk Stodola

Kirk Stodola

Ornithology

Chris Stone

Chris Stone

Medical entomology

Christopher Tessum

Christopher Tessum

Environmental engineering

Patrick Tranel

Patrick Tranel

Agriculture, food

Jeff Trapp

Jeff Trapp

Atmospheric sciences

Carena van Riper

Carena van Riper

Nature, environment

Nancy Westcott

Nancy Westcott

Climatology

Donald Wuebbles

Donald Wuebbles

Atmospheric sciences, climate

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