Climate change poses significant threats to the economic and social stability of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. The findings of a new report, Up in smoke? Latin America and the Caribbean, confirm the observable effects of climate change in the region and emphasize the potentially dire consequences of future impacts, particularly on those already living in poverty.
Climate change: Endangering ecosystems and livelihoods
Latin America and the Caribbean contain some of the most important and diverse ecosystems on the planet. Rainforests, coral reefs, watersheds, and mountain terrains all provide a wealth of goods and services for human consumption and also support enormous biodiversity. These ecosystems are increasingly placed at risk by global climate change and continued environmental degradation.
Details of the Up in smoke? report document how global warming-induced changes in climate systems such as El Niño (ENSO) have resulted in more irregular and extreme temperature and rainfall patterns. As a result, droughts and subsequent forest fires, as well as flood events are more common. Other impacts such as sea-level rise increasingly threaten coastal urban infrastructure and rapidly melting glaciers have placed pressures on freshwater availability and agriculture.
Co-authored by a group of the UK's leading environment and development groups, the report's results show that climate change challenges, coupled with mismanagement and excessive use of natural resources by large-scale industrial operations, have particularly hurt the poor. It is becoming more difficult for those who depend on ecosystem services to access food and water resources and subsequently cope with health- and poverty-related issues.
Recommendations for change and improved security
The report also makes several recommendations for regional and worldwide government action to mitigate future impacts of climate change and associated extreme weather events:
• Reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.
• Support community-based coping strategies and disaster risk reduction.
• Increase and diversify crops; promote small-scale agriculture.
• Thoroughly assess national vulnerabilities to climate change and its associated economic, social, and environmental risks.
• Promote sustainable urban development.
• Stop deforestation and illegal logging; protect biodiversity.
• Develop and implement clean and efficient energy.
RELATED LINKS:
Friends of the Earth press release.
WRI's Climate Analysis Indicators Tool (CAIT).
EarthTrends:
Map: Fires and Grasslands of Latin America.
Map: Environmental Impact Assessments in Latin America.
Map: Key Forest Areas for Threatened Birds in Latin America.
