Colombia
Climate change impacts
It takes only 67 days for the average Canadian to produce as much greenhouse gases as the average Colombian will produce over the course of the entire year. Therefore, March 7th (67 days into the year) is "Climate Change Impacts in Colombia Day."
Colombia is sensitive to the impacts of climate change, as the country has already seen an increase in the number of areas in the process of desertification. Colombia is also threatened by rising sea levels. With a one meter increase in sea level, “there could be a permanent flooding of 4,900 sq. km. of lying coast” which would also increase erosion in sensitive areas like beaches and swamps. Furthermore, economic activities and vital infrastructure would be threatened by coastal flooding. About 1.4 million people live in the area which would be affected by the rise. A significant percentage of the agricultural sector would be exposed to different degrees of flooding and much of this area would be highly vulnerable to climate impacts. Meanwhile, half of the road network would also under serve threaten of the flooding that triggered by the rising of the sea level.
The shrinking of Columbia’s glaciers will affect communities who depend on the water supplies generated by melting.
Source: Executive Summary of Colombia's First National Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Story
“Colombian authorities predict that climate change is likely to provoke more ‘extreme weather events’ in the future, raising the prospect of new social crises. Solorzano and his family, like most of their neighbors, were left homeless by the February flood and are now living in a tiny shack built from salvaged flood debris. Climate scientists also say the country's glaciers could disappear within 15 years. Wet highland areas that provide much of the country's fresh water are getting warmer and drier. And each year, flooding becomes more severe.”
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