There are no positive effects of climate change.

I am writing in response to an Aug. 14 letter (“What about climate change’s positive effects?”) where the writer complained about the lack of positive coverage of our changing climate. As someone with a master’s degree in environmental science; a history of working with NASA Earth Science missions focused on monitoring the Earth and ocean; and an understanding of earth system science, I’m here to tell you unequivocally: There are no “positives” to the changes that our climate is going through – especially when it comes to life in Maine.

The first example of a positive that the author cited is incorrect in several ways. The “warm weather with little snow” is the first and probably most obvious positive example that people will list off when trying to find an upside to our changing climate. Indeed, the fastest-warming season during which changes are noticeable is winter. The Scientific Assessment of Climate Changes and Its Effects in Maine, published in 2024 by the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation in the Future, cites that winters in Maine are 5 degrees warmer compared to a century ago. However, there are many negatives to this trend.

First, the climate changes to winter and destabilization of air masses has actually caused more weather extremes – including colder than normal extremes – which can negate the “heating bill savings” offered by the author. Have we already forgotten the extreme cold snaps of just a few years ago, that sent oil prices soaring and electric bills doubling?

Economically, the impact of warmer winters to Maine’s winter-based economy and tourism are already beginning to be felt. In 2022, the Office of Outdoor Recreation estimated that snow activities including skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling contributed $68 million to Maine’s economy. Shorter ski seasons, earlier ice outs in ice fishing lakes, lack of snow for snowmobiles, snowshoeing and other outdoor winter activities are decreasing the ability for seasonal tourism to support some Maine towns, particularly rural ones reliant on such tourism.

If even a small portion of that is lessened – for example, from the canceling of ice fishing seasons, snowmobile events, or cross-country ski trail closures (all of which occurred in some places across the state this winter, by the way) – that’s a huge negative impact to many jobs and stakeholders in outdoor recreation.

The “lack of snow” as a benefit needs to be reexamined as well. While none of us enjoy shoveling and would welcome a reprieve, it is not as simple as having a “get out of shoveling free” card. The snow reserves that build up each year are the water stores that feed nature in the spring – filling lakes and reservoirs. Less snow equates to starting off the season on a wetness deficit, which has consequences to natural cycles, fishing, farming, fire risk and more. Lastly, the changing climate does not guarantee a nice, linear progression towards warmer winters, but rather an increase in economically impactful winter storms, and the rise of extratropical storms (e.g., Nor’easters).

I know that it is difficult to accept that climate change will have a negative impact on our lives, and if you’re not ready to accept that, then I encourage you to find more light reading. And when you’re ready, resources like the University of Maine, Cooperative Extension, NOAA, NASA and more have resources that can more fully educate you and prepare you for the changes ahead.

There may be new opportunities to pivot, prepare and adapt, but nothing about climate change is going to make life objectively better for Mainers. If this publication were to spin it that way for the sake of positivity, it would do so without regard to reality.