New climate change report looks at cost to Ohio municipalities

When it gets really hot out - you generally turn on the air conditioning. And with that, your electricity bill increases.

During a bad storm, maybe water seeps into your basement - you'll generally have to pay a plumber or a cleanup crew to fix the issue.

Those are two simple examples of weather-related costs on a small level.

But now, extrapolate those costs to the scale of a neighborhood, a city, or even a state level.

In one way, that's what a new report from two environmental organizations does for the state of Ohio. It looks at the anticipated costs; of climate change.

The report reveals that Ohio municipalities --- by a conservative estimate --- will need to increase collective spending by $1.8 billion to $5.9 billion a year, by 2050, to address the worsening effects of climate change.

That is certainly a large number -- but zoom out again, to a global level - and that cost explodes.

A study from the consultancy group Deloitte estimated that unchecked climate change could cost the global economy $178 trillion, over the next 50 years.

The Climate change related issues we are talking about are prolonged heatwaves, excessive flooding, and even the algal blooms we see pretty much annually now, in Lake Erie...

Those are all examined in the state report, titled "The Bill Is Come Due".

Behind the report are the Ohio Environmental Council, and Power a Clean Future Ohio.

Today on the program, we'll spend the hour talking about the report, climate change impacts in Ohio, and where do we go from here.

But first up, we discuss the breaking news regarding Browns Quarterback Deshaun Watson, and the suspension he will receive from the National Football League over claims of sexual  misconduct.  

- Glenn Forbes, Supervising Producer For Newscasts, Ideastream Public Media

- Dion Mensah, Energy Justice Fellow, Ohio Environmental Council

- Joe Flarida, Executive Director, Power a Clean Future Ohio