National Wildlife Federation Reception to Showcase ‘Unnatural Disasters’ Map, and Iowa’s Vulnerability to Flooding

DES MOINES, IOWA (December 18, 2019) — On Thursday, December 19, local Iowa leaders will speak at a reception & press conference to discuss the impact climate change is having on Iowans and will ask Senator Ernst to heed the call of her voters, local leaders and scientists and act on climate change.   The National Wildlife Federation’s newly-updated interactive story map, Unnatural Disasters, illustrates where climate change-fueled hurricanes, algal outbreaks, wildfires, droughts, floods, and extreme heat-waves have hit in recent years across the United States — and demonstrates their impacts on local economies and wildlife. Extreme heat-waves are a new addition to the map this year and are responsible for more human fatalities than any other type of natural disaster. Alongside conservation loss, floods in Iowa along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers cost Iowans more than $1.6 billion.   Please join us for cocktails, light snacks, and this important discussion on climate change.