Droughts, hurricanes, melting glaciers and wildfires are worsening in Latin America and the Caribbean, exacerbating a “vicious cycle” that is accelerating global warming in a particularly vulnerable area, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned. ) this Wednesday (07/05/2023). ).
The UN agency presented its report “State of the Climate in Latin America and the Caribbean” in Havana, in which it highlights that “extreme weather phenomena and climate shocks” are worsening in the region.
This is accelerating the long-term warming trend and sea level rise. According to WMO records, temperatures in the region have risen at an average rate of 0.2 degrees Celsius per decade over the past 30 years, the highest rate recorded anywhere in the world.
The climate crisis and, more recently, the La Niña phenomenon are leading to prolonged droughts that are leading to a drop in hydroelectric power production and a surge in fossil fuel use, poorer harvests and “unprecedented” wildfires, the organization warns.
Likewise, the melting of the glaciers as well as hurricanes and torrential rains in the region lead to flooding with severe personal injury and damage to property.
The report “shows the vicious circle of increasing impacts of global warming on countries and local communities,” argues the WMO.
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