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		Climate Change Climate Change and Global Warming What's New The Impacts of Climate Change Climate Change and Biodiversity: An Interactive Map What You Can Do:   Carbon Footprint Calculator   Voluntary Carbon   Offset Program   Climate-Saving Tips   Get the Facts   Take a Quiz   Get our e-Newsletter   Donate now What We Do:   Stop Deforestation   Adapt to Impacts   Support Policy Where We Work on Climate Change Contact Us Press Releases Tell us what you think about climate change

Help fight climate change With your help, we can reduce the impacts of climate change on our lives, on our environment and on future generations. Warmer ocean waters helped fuel Hurricane Katrina. See the Louisiana Barrier Islands before and after Katrina. We Want to Hear from You Tell us what you think about our climate change work. What do you think are the biggest impacts of climate change?

Scientific research indicates that climate change will cause hurricanes and tropical storms to become more intense — lasting longer, unleashing stronger winds, and causing more damage to coastal ecosystems and communities.

Scientists point to higher ocean temperatures as the main culprit, since hurricanes and tropical storms get their energy from warm water. As sea surface temperatures rise, developing storms will contain more energy.

At the same time, other factors such as rising sea levels, disappearing wetlands, and increased coastal development threaten to intensify the damage caused by hurricanes and tropical storms.

Climate change picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photo © Mark Godfrey (violent thunderstorm); Photo © NASA (Hurricane Katrina); Graphic © NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (Hurricane Katrina); Photo © USGS (Louisiana Barrier Islands).