What A Change In The Weather Costs

Governing has published an interactive map showing how much climate change will cost each U.S. county. The data comes from a study published in the journal Science in June, which Governing reports “is the most extensive model available of what climate change could cost the United States, county by county.”

The study is the first of its kind, linking climate projections with economic effects like mortality, labor productivity, energy demand and crop yields.

By far, the largest economic cost across the U.S. is loss of human life to heat-related injuries. Huge swaths of the South could see these kinds of deaths spike to more than 20 people out of every 100,000. In addition, energy costs will increase as people use air conditioning more often, labor productivity will suffer for those who work outdoors, crop yields will decrease and rising seas will swallow up valuable coastal properties.

According to the map, Dorchester, Somerset and Allegany would suffer the biggest hits to their GDP. Garrett, on the other hand, actually sees its economy improve.