Uruguay

It takes only 203 days for the average Canadian to produce as much greenhouse gases as the average Uruguayan will produce over the course of the entire year. Therefore, July 22nd (203 days into the year) is "Climate Change Impacts in Uruguay Day."

Increased rainfall in Uruguay due to climate change has increased flood frequency and intensity.  As well, Uruguay’s low-lying coasts “are among the most vulnerable to climate variability and extreme hydro-meteorological events such as rain and windstorms and subtropical and tropical cyclones, and their associated storm surges.”  In addition to increasingly intense rains and floods, Uruguay has also experienced severe drought in recent years that have severely impacted the country’s agricultural sector.

Coastal tourism, contributes strongly to Uruguay’s GDP and employment levels. Threats to Uruguay’s coasts by windstorms and projected sea level rise are likely to raise major challenges for the nation’s economy.

To read more about climate change impacts on Uruguay as well as other Latin American countries, visit the United Nations Environment Programme website.