Preparing communities for increasing climate change disasters
MINNEAPOLIS — The flooding cleanup continues in parts of southern and northern Minnesota. It's a reminder of how quickly weather events can happen and how permanently lives can be changed.
Around the country, it's more of the same: disasters of biblical proportions are happening more and more frequently.
You could think Minnesota is getting off easy with climate change, but try bringing that up now to the folks in Waterville or Cook County.
"A lot of the extreme weather we have been seeing for years is caused by the human influence on climate change — burning fossil fuels. The quicker we stop doing that the quicker we can at least hold the number of extreme weather events at the level they are at now and eventually roll them back," WCCO's Director of Meteorology Mike Augustyniak said.
In 2023, the Minnesota Legislature approved $100 million in grants to help communities manage climate change disasters. That's on top of ongoing efforts in Mankato, the Red River Valley and Duluth.
"Duluth has made significant investments in managing rainwater since we all remember the floods of 2012 and when the rain hit more recently in the northeast, in Duluth area, they were better prepared because of smart planning and smart investments in the infrastructure, the stormwater systems in particular, that handle these bigger rain events," Kate Knuth, the climate director with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, said.
Someone seeing the effects of climate change is famed polar explorer Will Steger. He says the routes he took 30 years ago are now underwater.
"The ice shelves are gone. Sea ice is gone," said Seger.
But he told WCCO's Esme Murphy he does see hope, especially in Minnesota.
"Minnesota is still a leader. I mean, if you look at our solar industry, the wind industry, you know, it's one of the biggest employers, and so we're, I feel we're doing well in Minnesota. And fortunately, you know, although it might get hot in the southern part of the state, Minnesota set up pretty well for these changes that were going on," said Seger.
Talking Points airs every Wednesday and Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., live on CBS News Minnesota.