Colombia Climate Change

Global warming has become an undisputed fact about our current livelihoods; our planet is warming up and we are definitely part of the problem. However, this isn’t the only environmental problem that we should be concerned about. All across the world,

The Amazon is the planet's largest remaining rainforest. However, it is in danger because of deforestation and climate change. It is also home to over 20 million people. Greenpeace created a campaign to solve this problem called “Save the Amazon”. Due to this campaign, the organization is trying to stop companies from taking advantage of these natural resources without limits, protecting both indigenous people’s rights and environment. To be more specific, Greenpeace fights against the construction of a huge dam, which will eventually flood an area of rainforest. This project has not come to an end yet, but the organization keeps trying to prevent the impact of this

The environment around us carries the scar caused by global warming. Precipitation has increased across the globe, which has consequently caused more frequent floods, an increase in sea levels, and a higher frequency of strong storms. Lakes are drying up, islands are virtually dropping into the ocean, and the polar ice caps are disappearing. The planet is truly in peril. This paper will focus on three regions of the Earth in particular: Antarctica, the Amazon Rainforest, and the Great Barrier Reef. More specifically, it will examine the extent of the impact that global warming has had on each region..

Climate change is affecting humans every day, and yet most of us have found that every region of the globe is affected in some way or another. For us here in San Diego, California, in the Western Hemisphere, on the west coast, United States, North America, that impact is felt mostly with rising sea temperatures and rising sea levels. There are noticeable predictions that by 2050, rising sea levels here will rise as stated: “"At least a 16 inch sea level rise is expected in San Diego, Ca by 2050, with a projected rise of 50% by the turn of the century."

Annually, the growing need for additional land space for cattle ranching is forcing South American citizens to chop down hundreds of thousands of acres of the Amazonian Rainforest. Rainforest ecosystems alone account for at least 50% of all biodiversity on the planet according to the National Wildlife Federation. When you pair up the destruction of a sacred ecosystem with the increasing levels of methane gas (CH4) produced by cattle ranching, the outcome is alarmingly hazardous to the Earth. Fortunately, many organizations have been founded and laws set in place in an effort to conserve the planet and all of its resources. Several career fields also provide an outlet to passionate individuals to help contribute to saving the Earth. These efforts, however, are not enough to balance the destruction occurring every day. Therefore,

Colombia has many different types of geographical features including deserts, mountains, and beaches. Colombia has mountains that go down the middle of the country, these mountains are called the Andes Mountains. The mountains tower over the beautiful rainforests of Colombia, this is the Amazon rainforest.The country also has beaches going to the Caribbean sea and the Pacific ocean. The beaches have off white sand leading to the clear turquoise water. There are also many rivers that run through Colombia. Apart from the beautiful rainforests Colombia also has deserts. The savannah desert is located next to the mountains in the middle of the country.

When it comes to climate change directly caused by humans, the Central American country of Guatemala is a prime example. With a population of over 16 million, spread over the course of only 42,000 square miles -- mostly in and around the capital of Guatemala City -- there is plenty being done directly and indirectly to negatively affect climate. But it’s not just civilian’s actions that leave it susceptible to climate change, as location and deforestation also conspire to make the country’s inhabitants more vulnerable to dire conditions, with indigenous communities and farmers among the most affected.

Acres of land are cleared in order to home drug crops such as coca, especially towards South Colombia near the Amazon. Drug crop cultivation is the root cause for the recent influx in deforestation rates. Greenhouse gas emissions, rising from deforestation, are proliferating environmental devastation. According to Shared Responsibility, “43 square feet of forest are cleared to produce one gram of cocaine, and coca growers have cleared an area the size of New Jersey - nearly five million acres - within Colombia over the past 20 years.” (Carpenter). Colombian land that has been subjected to illegal agriculture activity started a chain reaction of environmental stress. The released pollutants from deforestation are traveling straight into the atmosphere and affecting air quality. According to Kenna McSweeney, an international human environment interactions professor, “Forests and the services they offer society are crucial to sustainable development and human well-being...approximately 13 million hectares of forests continue to be lost each year, contributing up to 20% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions.” (McSweeney). Greenhouse gas absorbed in the atmosphere, are processed through radiation emissions. These emissions warm the planet ensuing a chain reaction of rising ocean levels, evaporation, and drought. The snow balling of effects

Climate change is one of the most important challenges of humankind in this century. The ability to adapt, mitigate and reduce carbon emissions will be decisive to preserve the world for future generations. The last IPCC report has provided more evidence regarding the rise in temperature and sea level. Apparently, additional 2°C above the pre-industrial average temperature levels is unavoidable, and it will continue at that level due the accumulation of gases in the atmosphere (Solomon 2009). Climate change will affect people all around the world in different ways, though the capacity to cope with it is different among regions and countries. The Latin America region is notably susceptible to climate change, due its geographical position, population location and its economy relying in natural resources (Vergara et. al. 2013a). The withdrawal of the coral biome, glaciers melting, jungles & forest savannization and strongest climate events are only some of the threats that will affect their inhabitants.

People in Colombia depend on their rainforests for wood, food, and their clean water supply. They find minerals in their forests to export to make a profit. Their rainforests are their basic tool for survival. People in Colombia have adapted to the hot climate of Colombia by wearing lightweight clothes that protect them from the sun. They also have houses made out of hand-made tiles so that it keeps the houses cool. People have changed their environment by over-farming the land, deforestation, and pollution.

The nation of Colombia is just beginning to wrap up a civil war between the

The temperature in Colombia ranges from a very tolerable 30 degrees, to a chill 10°. That means you may or may not have to pack the sunscreen, sun hat and shade umbrella. Long sleeves and pants are not only a good idea for cold days, but also to protect yourself against mosquitoes. A raincoat and rainboots are always a good idea in tropical countries such as Colombia, as is a waterproof bag, for the immensely humid areas such as the Pacific coast and the Amazon to hold valuables such as electronics. It is very important to leave expensive jewellery and unnecessary luxury at home. Colombia is not all breath taking rainforest and sparkling oceans, there are some places in Colombia that some people would argue are not so pleasant at night. Due

I found it to be extremely concerning that it has been proposed that this transformation in the biodiversity could be so detrimental, that fragments of the Amazonian rainforest could soon be altered into tropical savannahs (Bellard et al., 2012).

Many of these people are in developing countries that are ill equipped to deal with the problem (monaghan). When the water levels rise, all of these people will be forced to relocate as their whole cities, towns, and homes go underwater due to climate change in Antarctica. In places like Florida, Bangladesh, and other low-lying areas, even modest increases in sea levels—the kind possible before the beginning of the next century—would have dire, civilization-changing consequences (monaghan). According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), sea levels have been rising about three millimeters per year since 1993 – totaling a 200 millimeter increase (7.87 inches) in global averaged sea level since 1870. This is a threat to many lives all over the world and is fast approaching us. Glaciers also contain billions of gallons of freshwater, meaning a rapid melt could mess with the salinity of the ocean. Since our salty ocean absorbs much of the carbon dioxide we pump into the air, that’s not the best scenario for global warming (Atkin). Global warming will continue to get worse if we do not change our ways now.

The deforestation in the Amazonian rainforest of Brazil harms the environment and everything within it. Up to 30,000 species are expected to become extinct by the next century quarter due to deforestation. Oil is the number one leading cause of deforestation in the Amazon to sell to large corporate countries such as the United States of America. At 66 million tons of oil annually, 27 million hectares of land are used for oil plantations today and has a record of 700 land conflicts within the industry in just Indonesia alone. Many companies have tried to move protesters by promising a stop to deforestation, however many have overlooked this and, consequently, proceeded to destroy the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, now resulting in protesters’ deaths by Brazilian police. It was recorded that in the past 20 years, 200 protesters’ have been murdered in a plea against Amazonian deforestation (Greenpeace 2016).