by WCS Mesoamérica y El Caribe
Due to an unprecedented El Niño event, combined with the impacts of climate change, the planet is experiencing climatic anomalies never seen before. In 2023, rainfall was considerably lower than the historical average in the 5 Great Forests of Mesoamerica, especially in the Maya Forest (-23%), the Darien (-21%) and the Moskitia (-17%). The Panama Canal is already experiencing problems due to water shortages.
The Gulf of Mexico has the highest temperature in recorded history, approximately 1.1°C above the 40-year average.
In the 1970s, Flores, Guatemala, had an average of 4 days per year with temperatures above 40°C, but during the last two decades it has experienced an average of 36 days per year above 40°C.
These alarming situations were presented at a conference on October 24, 2023 at the Latin America and Caribbean Climate Week (LACCW) by the WCS and Re:wild team. To address this forecast, a series of actions were also proposed to ensure the protection of the region's forests and communities. The scientific data presented are the product of EU DeSIRA's support in updating Human Footprint parameters and specific topics such as temperature, fires, precipitation, among others. The proposal involves:
1. Anticipate and Act: We suggest that governments establish an El Niño Response Group that coordinates and draws on expertise from various fields: meteorology, disaster management and more.
2. Allocate Budgets: Governments must ensure that emergency response agencies are not limited by budget constraints. It is critical and fundamental to allocate resources for fire prevention and management and not just for wildland firefighting.
3. Support Vulnerable Forest Communities: Governments should implement support mechanisms for forest communities most vulnerable to the effects of El Niño, ensuring access to food, water, and emergency supplies, as well as training and support in fire prevention and management.
El Niño, March-September 2023, sea surface temperature anomaly, equatorial Pacific
Fuente: NOAA Environmental Visualization Laboratory (NNVL), NOAA Climate.gov
https://www.climate.gov/data/Ocean--Monthly--Difference-from-average-Sea-Surface-Temperature--Pacific/03-broadcast/
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