4 effects of climate change in Latin America

The effects of climate change are already being felt in Latin America. Rain cycles are changing, temperatures are increasing, and some regions are experiencing changes in their geography due to the effects of extreme weather events, as can be seen in some coastal areas. And this not only affects the climate, but the changes also affect people and wildlife.

From the melting of the glaciers in the Andes, to the heavy flooding that some countries in the region have experienced, these are alarm signals that must be taken into account, not only by the authorities, but also by the entire population in general.

The consequences of climate change in Latin America

The most visible effects of climate change are:

1. Increase in droughts: Changes in temperature increase the intensity and frequency of droughts in the regions, severely affecting all countries. The Amazon, the Northwest of Brazil, Central America and a large part of Mexico are affected by the droughts and the intensity of the same may increase, to the point of causing the loss of part of the Amazon. Droughts also decrease the availability of water in countries like Venezuela.

2. Rise in sea level: The oceans expand when they warm up and rise even more when they receive fresh water from the melting of glaciers. This causes flooding in low-lying areas, increased storm surges, coastal erosion, and contamination of aquifers. The majority of the population in Latin America lives in the coastal zone, which places it at imminent risk.

3. Floods: They are not unusual in Latin America, but they are becoming more frequent and intense. There have been floods as a result of unexpected events. Climate change causes climatic phenomena to increase in magnitude and frequency, so it will rain more and more continuously.

4. Hurricanes of greater intensity: It has not yet been determined whether climate change has increased the frequency of hurricanes, but it can be expected that they will become more intense and devastating.

Also read: What do we know about the depths of the ocean?

The other effects of climate change in Latin America

Due to global warming , tropical diseases, such as malaria and dengue, can appear in places where they did not exist before, as well as insects and invasive species. In addition to diseases, the region must also face the problems caused by the disappearance of cities due to the rise in sea level or the product of hurricanes, which would cause the displacement of thousands of people or the loss of cultivation areas, which would put the region at risk of famines.

Governments must act together to take measures that help save the environment and stop climate change , without unnecessary extremism, but by taking concrete and effective actions. The Latin American population must also contribute with the actions that each individual can take to mitigate the effects of climate change in their cities and environments, such as the balanced use of air conditioning at home.