Ateamofeconomistsandscientistssetouttoanswerthatquestion, bylinkingupeconomicandclimatemodelstoestimatehowmuchwarmingtemperaturescouldcosttheU. S. economy.
AndtheyfoundthatforeverydegreeCelsiusthetemperaturegoesup? ItdockstheU. S. grossdomesticproduct, theGDP, by1.2percent.
Butthateconomicpenaltywillnotbeevenlyapplied. BecausethesouthernU. S. isalreadymuchpoorerthanthenorthernU. S. today. Oh, andit'shotter, too.