Jul. 25--Temperatures are on the rise in Ohio and will keep rising unless pollution associated with global warming is drastically curtailed, according to a report released yesterday by Environment Ohio.

Even higher temperatures would increase droughts, floods, heat waves, water stress, forest fires, and coastal flooding in the United States, warned an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report in April. Toledo was 2.9 degrees hotter in 2006 than its 1971-2006 average, the report said. Those 2.9 degrees were gained in all three of the temperature measures that Environment Ohio charted -- mean temperature, average daily high, and average nightly low. Statewide, Ohio was two degrees warmer in 2006 than its long-term average, the report said. Although two or three degrees may not seem like much, rising temperatures have long-term implications, said Lonnie Thompson, professor of geological sciences at Ohio State University and a leading expert on climate change.

A hotter climate can melt glac ers and cause sea levels to rise, changing the layout of earth's land masses beyond recognition. "Those small temperature changes can make a big difference on the earth's surface," said Ellen Mosley-Thompson, professor of geography and atmospheric science at Ohio State University. The IPCC and Environment Ohio blame "human-caused warming" for much of the increase. To head off dramatic climatic change, Environment Ohio argues that the United States should reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by at least 15 to 20 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050.

Ohio is the fourth-largest producer of carbon emissions in the United States, said Amy Gomberg, a spokesman for Environment Ohio. Coal-fired power plants release most of those emissions. While Ohio will remain unable to crack its coal habit anytime soon, companies are investing in clean-coal technology, state Rep. Mark Wagoner (R., Ottawa Hills) said. In the long term, he hopes to promote alternative, renewable energy sources. "I think everybody agrees that that's where the future will be," he said. U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) said Ohio must step up its renewable energy standards as soon as possible.

She is co-sponsoring a bill that would establish federal renewable energy standards that would require utilities to gradually increase the percentage of energy from renewable sources from 1 percent in 2010 to 20 percent in 2020. Contact Ali Seitz at: aseitz@theblade.com or 419-724-6050. For current weather conditions, forecast and radar images, go to www.toledoblade.com/weather.