Climate change has had immense impacts on the United States, meanwhile locally, environmental experts say it’s a complex issue.

A study conducted by ProPublica said that six Arizona counties are at risk of becoming uninhabitable in 30 years due to climate change, Maricopa County being one of them. Maricopa County homes many cities such as Phoenix, Chandler, Scottsdale and more.

Arizona State University’s Rob and Melani Walton Sustainability Solutions Service has developed a draft of an Urban Heat Island Study for the city of Scottsdale.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, heat islands are urbanized areas that experience higher temperatures than outlying areas.

The UHI draft study is to help combat the high temperatures in Scottsdale.

“There is no question that prolonged drought and elevating temperatures pose a real and present danger to the quality and sustainability of life here in Maricopa County over time. The cause for these conditions and the role we can play to mitigate them is very complex,” Sam Brown, the environmental planner for the City of Scottsdale, said.

This information affects Scottsdale residents and their future decisions.

Thomas Raccuia is a resident of south Scottsdale. He is a lawyer at a Phoenix law firm and recently moved to Arizona from the east coast.

“In terms of where I would choose to live and how it affects my thinking, it does in a certain sense but I think I’d have to balance that with what projections look for elsewhere in the country. Would climate change affect my thinking about living somewhere? And I guess the answer is yes but that probably would be true anywhere, not necessarily unique to here in Arizona,” Raccuia said.

Climate change has been a long-term issue around the globe. It is defined changes in weather patterns and temperatures by the United Nations.

“Climate change (even the term) is very complex — on the global and local scales,” Brown said.

Humans have been the main cause of climate change, according to the United Nations.

“I’d like to think there are ways society could mitigate this. I have faith in humanity’s capacity to innovate scientifically and adapt societally. From a local level, it is a little more difficult to think about what the steps look like,” Raccuia said.

The Scottsdale UHI study draft suggests multiple ways to manage the rising temperatures in Scottsdale. Most of the tactics involve shading more areas of the town.

In a spread-out city like Scottsdale, it tends to be difficult to get around without a car.

“Certainly here in Arizona and Scottsdale, we are pretty reliant on driving everywhere and auto emissions are certainly a pretty hefty aspect of Co2 emissions, so what mitigating that looks like… I’m not sure,” Raccuia said.

As a country, individuals can reduce their carbon footprint, but the big industries are the ones to make more impactful changes.

According to the National Resources Defense Council, a study was conducted and showed that 100 energy companies have been responsible for 71% of all industrial emissions since human-driven climate change was officially recognized.

With rising concerns around the world, the next generations could face the impacts of living in uninhabitable cities like Scottsdale.

“There is always a question of how much of an impact does that (electric vehicles) make when so much of our electricity comes from fossil fuels. I think a larger percentage of what needs to be done is on the industry, the big industry side of things. As individuals, as consumers, we can try and make smart choices but I think ultimately that is kind of a drop in the bucket,” Raccuia said.

Editor’s Note: Cassidy Connelly is a student journalist at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications.