'Colorado Climate Disasters Awareness Week’ Press Conference Highlights Economic, Human Impacts

DENVER - Today over 60 groups including conservation organizations, business leaders and lawmakers rallied at the Colorado State Capitol calling for bolder climate action and preparation to respond to the human and economic costs of climate change impacts and disasters. According to new findings by Colorado Fiscal Institute, the state conservatively faces climate change-related costs up to $37 billion projected costs by 2050 due to increased infrastructure costs, wildfires, flooding, changes to the winter sports industry and more.

"From wildfires and extreme heat to floods, drought, and skyrocketing insurance costs, climate disasters are no longer distant threats - climate disasters are happening here and now, to our families, our homes, and our communities," said Micah Parkin, Executive Director of 350 Colorado."This study provides a conservative but frightening initial glimpse and estimate of a portion of the costs we can expect to incur in the years to come, and we know that these costs will be far greater. We need urgent action not only to reduce climate pollution quickly, but also to prepare for over $1.4B per year in additional costs to taxpayers as we attempt to adapt to a new normal."

"After losing my home in the 2021 Colorado Marshall Fire in the suburban community of Superior, I realized that climate impacts are here now and devastating weather disasters can happen anywhere. We know extreme heat fuels the conditions for droughts and wildfires. In 2025, with record-breaking temperatures becoming more frequent, these risks are no longer abstract as they are here and they are harming real people," said Erica Solove, Community Program Manager at Extreme Weather Survivors.

CFI's "Colorado Climate Damages and Adaptation Costs" uses historic and predictive models to analyze potential costs of climate-related costs through 2050. The report warns that these numbers should be considered a floor as many additional climate impact costs are not included since they cannot easily be modeled and quantified with available data. CFI author and analyst Pegah Jalali says the study does not analyze rising insurance rates and housing market impacts, non-fatal health impacts, agricultural yield, and biodiversity loss.

"Between 2025 and 2050, our analysis finds that climate change could impose roughly $33-$37 billion in additional costs and resilience needs across Colorado's health, infrastructure, wildfire, flooding, and winter recreation impacts," said Jalali."The largest quantified drivers are extreme heat, which could lead to about 1,800-1,900 additional heat-related deaths (about $24-$25B in losses), and infrastructure pressures, totaling about $8.3-$8.7B in added costs and upgrades as roads, bridges, stormwater systems, and building cooling demand are pushed beyond historical design conditions. Wildfire smoke and property impacts add another $1.3B, with additional resilience needs on the order of $2.3B. These figures don't capture every hazard or indirect loss, but they make one point clear: planning and investment now can save lives and avoid much larger costs later."

"Climate change in Colorado is costing us a lot of money. The dramatic increase in home insurance rates, forest fires, droughts, snow shortfalls, air pollution, water pollution, and the ruining of our biological environment, are all costly--reaching into billions that are hard to comprehend," said Ramesh Bhatt, Conservation Chair for the Colorado Sierra Club. "Every household in Colorado is paying for these costs, as are businesses, local governments, fire districts, transportation districts, and schools. We need to come up with a plan to meet these costs fairly and ensure polluters are held accountable for the damages."

At the press conference, State Senators Lisa Cutter and Mike Weisemann, and State Representatives Elizabeth Velasco indicated they are concerned about the human toll and rising costs of the climate crisis and will introduce a bill seeking protections to workers facing extreme heat.

"Climate related disasters are rapidly increasing," said Sen. Lisa Cutter, Colorado Senate of Senate District 20."In Colorado, wildfires are increasing in frequency and intensity, and extreme temperatures are putting workers and other vulnerable people at risk. We must begin building resiliency."

"All workers deserve access to water, shade and safety at their workplace, and to be able to come home safely to their families after their shift. We are seeing a changing climate from breaking records on the hottest days to the coldest temperatures, and working people are the most impacted. Colorado must step after worker protections continue to be rolled back at the federal level," said Rep. Elizabeth Velasco of House District 57.

A number of important climate bills are expected at this year's legislative session. Over 60 organizations and hundreds of people took part in Colorado Climate Disasters Awareness Week January 26-30 - sending letter to their legislators, submitting letters to the editors of their local papers, posting their stories on social media and sharing their stories in the Colorado Climate Disasters Photo & Art Exhibit that bared witness to passersby in the West Foyer of the Colorado State Capitol this week. Participating groups include 350 Colorado, Black Parents United Foundation, Clean Energy Action, Climate Reality Project Metro Denver, Climate Reality Project Northern Colorado, Colorado Jewish Climate Action, Colorado Rising for Communities, Extreme Weather Survivors, Good Trouble Climate Network, Healthy Air & Water Colorado, Mi Familia En Accion, Moms Clean Air Force Colorado, Mountain Mamas, Physicians for Social Responsibility Colorado, Resilient Denver, Save the Aurora Reservoir, Sierra Club Colorado, Sunrise Movement Denver, Third Act Colorado, Together Colorado, Womxn from the Mountain, and the 55 member groups of Colorado Coalition for a Livable Climate.

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Watch the press conference via 350 Colorado's Facebook Page here. Quotes from additional Colorado Climate Disaster Awareness Week participants can be found here.

Photos and videos can be found in this folder after the event.

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit https://www.sierraclub.org.