been observed in many regions globally, will have potentially significant impacts on climate, biodiversity, water quality, wood production, and livelihoods.143 The composition of coastal and estuarine ecosystems will be altered by sea level rise, changes in precipitation and river flow, increased water temperatures, and ocean acidification, and this will contribute to a decline in biodiversity and ecosystem productivity along coastlines. 144 Climate change is already altering the physical, chemical, and biological properties of marine ecosystems, with the shift in distribution of many fish and invertebrates poleward and/or toward deeper, cooler waters, carrying serious implications for marine productivity and food security in tropical areas. 145 Effects on Buildings, Infrastructure, and Services: Climate change “will have profound impacts on a broad spectrum of city functions, infrastructures, and services and will interact with and may exacerbate many existing stresses.” 146 For example, extreme weather events and sea level rise will damage and destroy buildings and infrastructure, particularly on coastlines. Rising temperatures and heavy precipitation will adversely affect critical transportation, water, and electric infrastructure in many areas. Decreases in precipitation and freshwater resources will pose a major challenge for the management of water supply, irrigation systems, and hydroelectric dams. Expanding Disease Vectors: Increases in heavy rain and temperature will increase the risk of vector-borne diseases, such as malaria and dengue, in many parts of the world. 147 B. Peer-reviewed findings of impacts above 1°C of warming (Our Children’s Trust, Hansen) The best climate science indicates that, to protect the earth’s systems, the long-term increase in the average global surface temperature of the Earth above preindustrial temperatures must stay below 1°C.148 The best climate science further indicates that allowing global average surface temperatures to approach 2°C for any length of time would be highly dangerous. 149 Peerreviewed research shows that populations around the world are already experiencing significant and varied impacts from the 1°C warming that has occurred. 150 These impacts constitute 143 Id. at 275-76. Id. at 368. 145 Id. at 414-15. 146 IPCC WGII, supra note 75, at 556. 147 Id. at 725-26. 148 Given the long-term effects of CO2 in the atmosphere, past emissions may result in a 1.5°C peak in global surface heating for a period; however, emissions must be reduced to ensure that long-term temperatures, after peaking, eventually stabilize at no more than 1°C above preindustrial levels. To stabilize at 1°C requires a mean atmospheric concentration of CO2 of no more than 350 ppm. See Our Children’s Trust brief, at p. 2, n. 2. 149 James Hansen et al., Assessing “Dangerous Climate Change”: Required Reduction of Carbon Emissions to Protect Young People, Future Generations and Nature, 8(12) PLOS ONE 81648, 15 [hereinafter Assessing “Dangerous Climate Change”] (noting that a 2°C increase would result in an “unacceptably high risk of global catastrophe”); Our Children’s Trust brief, Exhibit A, Declaration of Dr. James E. Hansen in Support of Our Children’s Trust et al.’s Submission to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child Regarding State Obligations, Children’s Rights and Climate Change (Aug. 19, 2016) [hereinafter Our Children’s Trust brief, Exhibit A (Hansen Declaration)]; Our Children’s Trust brief, Exhibit B. 150 For a list of global impacts felt in 2015, see, e.g., WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION, WMO STATEMENT ON THE STATUS OF THE GLOBAL CLIMATE IN 2015, WMO No. 1167, 11-20 (2016), http://www.cma.gov.cn/en2014/news/News/201603/P020160322334697539255.pdf [hereinafter WMO STATUS 144 34