Ecuador Climate Change and Disaster Impacts
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Ecuador Climate Location
Ecuador features a diverse spectrum of geographical systems, ranging from high altitude glaciers to tropical rain forests in the Amazon upper tributaries to dry tropical forest along the Pacific Coast, as well as an insular outpost in the Pacific with the Galapagos Islands. Many of Ecuador’s systems are extremely sensitive and have already demonstrated high sensitivity to climate change and variability. Ecuador‘s ecosystems provide a variety of environmental services that are vital to both rural and urban economies.
Ecuador features a diverse spectrum of geographical systems, ranging from high altitude glaciers to tropical rain forests in the Amazon upper tributaries to dry tropical forest along the Pacific Coast, as well as an insular outpost in the Pacific with the Galapagos Islands. Many of Ecuador’s systems are extremely sensitive and have already demonstrated high sensitivity to climate change and variability.
Ecuador’s ecosystems provide a variety of environmental services that are vital to both rural and urban economies. As these systems are put under stress by changing climatic patterns, as well as other direct and indirect influences (such as deforestation, agricultural, and animal practices), the quality of environmental products and services is likely to suffer.
Ecuador is a tiny yet populous country, with an anticipated 17.3 million people in 2020 and forecasts indicating that by 2050, the country’s population might reach approximately 23 million. In the 2030s and 2050s, around 64 percent of Ecuadorians will reside in urban regions, with 67 percent and 75 percent projected in the 2030s and 2050s, respectively. Ecuador is classified as a middle-income country, although about a fifth of the population lives below the poverty line.
The Ministry of the Environment (MAE) is the governmental entity in charge of climate change policy creation and implementation. To meet adaptation and mitigation goals, the National Climate Change Strategy 2012-2025 was created.
Ecuador submitted its Nationally Determined Contributions to the UNFCCC in 2019 and its Third National Communication to the UNFCCC in 2017, in support of the country’s efforts to meet its development goals and increase adaptation and mitigation efforts in response to climate variability and change by improving mitigation and adaptation implementation efforts. The Ecuadorian land is particularly sensitive to extreme events, such as flooding caused by increased rainfall during El Nio and increased aridity during La Nia periods.
Ecuador Climate and Background
Ecuador’s climate background for the current climatology, 1991-2020, is generated from observable, historical data on this page. In order to grasp future climate scenarios and expected change, information should be used to establish a strong understanding of current climatic circumstances. Data for the present climatology can be visualized using regional variation, the seasonal cycle, or a time series.
Temperature
Ecuador has year-round rainfall, with the wettest months being May and July. Between 1960 and 2010, Ecuador witnessed increases in average, minimum, and maximum temperatures.
In the high mountains, maximum temperatures have risen by 1°C every decade, whereas in the sub-paramo regions, maximum temperatures have climbed by 0.6°C per decade.
The number of warm evenings is on the rise, while the number of cold nights is on the down.
Precipitation
Ecuador’s precipitation trends are highly variable, and precipitation varies greatly across the country.Rainfall has increased in the eastern parts of Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest, the Sierra, and along the northern coast, particularly in the provinces of El Oro, Guayas, Santa Elena, and Manab.The Coastal Region’s annual precipitation grew by 33%, while the Inter-Andean Region’s increased by 8%.Glacier retreat in the Andean region has been severe, ranging from 20 to 30 percent in the last 30 years.
Ecuador Climate Change
The Ecuadorian climate is diverse, and it is mostly governed by altitude and topography. Mountain valleys have a year-round temperate climate, whereas coastal parts have a humid subtropical climate and lowlands have rainforest. The rainy season and the summer or dry season are the two principal seasons in the country, which are distinguished by the distribution of rainfall.
Ecuador Climate Change – video
The climates of the four areas that make up the country are highly different. The coast has a tropical climate with a rainy season that lasts from late December to early May, with a 2°C to 3°C difference in temperature between the hottest and coldest months. The inter-Andean valleys have a temperate climate, with a rainy season from October to May and a dry season from June to September; average monthly temperatures in the wet season are about 14.5° C and 15° C, respectively. The Amazon Region in the country’s east receives rain throughout the year, and the average temperature is around 21° C for the majority of the year.
Ecuador Climate Change, The climate of the Galapagos Islands’ Island Region is comparable to that of the Coastal Region. The chilly Humboldt current influences the average temperature, which ranges from 25°C to 26°C during the rainy season (December to May) and 21°C to 22°C during the dry season (June to November). Because they are in the Intertropical Convergence Zone, the country’s climate is heavily influenced by oceanic influences, atmospheric circulation, and marine currents (ITCZ).
Increased rainfall and floods along the coast and Western Andes, and droughts in the Northern and Eastern sectors, are all linked to the El Nio Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Climate change trends in Ecuador are likely to have severe consequences for the country in the medium to long term. Intensification of extreme climatic events (e.g. ENSO), sea level rise, increased retreat of glaciers, decreased annual runoff and increased vulnerability of water resources,increased vulnerability to floods and prolonged droughts, increased transmission of dengue and other tropical diseases, and the expansion of invasive species populations in the Galapagos and other sensitive ecosystems are just a few examples.
Ecuador Climate Change and Disaster Risks
Ecuador Climate Change is vulnerable to natural disasters such as floods, landslides, droughts, and earthquakes. Landslides are the most common natural dangers in Ecuador, after floods, which are generally linked to the El Nio phenomenon. The fact that 96 percent of the metropolitan population lives in coastal and mountainous regions increases vulnerability to phenomena like El Nio and related disasters like floods and landslides.
Climate Change and Disaster Impacts Video
Inadequate policies and land use planning instruments, river basin environmental degradation, farming expansion, and poorly constructed infrastructure are all elements that contribute to the country’s high vulnerability to natural calamities. Political instability has long been a factor in the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters.
The 1997-1998 El Nio wreaked havoc on the health, education, agriculture, and transportation sectors, causing damages totaling US$280 million, or around 15% of the country’s gross domestic product in 1997.
Soil erosion affects approximately 48 percent of the country in various degrees, with the Andean region being the most afflicted (70 percent ).
Drought conditions afflicted 107,500 people in November 2009, primarily in the region of Manabi. Following that, torrential rains in February 2010 triggered floods and landslides in the country’s coastal districts, affecting over 5,000 households.
Climate extremes are already the most common type of disaster in Ecuador, wreaking havoc on the country’s population and economy.
Ecuador Climate Change and Disaster Impacts
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Agriculture
Approximately 27% of the country’s land is utilized for agriculture and cattle, 22% for pasture, and 5% is used for cultivation. The sector accounts for 6% of Ecuador’s GDP and employs roughly 6% of the country’s overall workforce. Sugarcane, bananas, milk, rice and maize, plantains, indigenous chicken meat, palm oil, and potatoes were the main agricultural products in 2008. Depending on the situation and crop, climate change is likely to affect agriculture in a variety of ways. If no adaptation measures are taken, rice output will most likely be in deficit by 2030, with a deficit ranging from 3% to 60%.
One scenario anticipates a 34% shortage in potato production, while a more optimistic scenario predicts a surplus. Soybeans will suffer as a result of climate change, whereas hard corn would profit. Extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, and heavy rains are predicted to become more common as a result of climate change. On average, this fluctuation is projected to have a negative influence on crop productivity. Increased evapotranspiration will result from rising temperatures, resulting in drier soil conditions in many regions.
Water Scarcity
Weather and climate have a direct impact on water supply. In addition to the crucial water input from precipitation on a daily, monthly, and yearly basis, evapotranspiration losses must be considered. High temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds, in particular, can effectively remove water from the land surface. Water demand is also predicted to vary as a result of climate change, particularly as it relates to rapidly changing demographic and economic conditions. The water sector faces increased operational problems and risk as a result of these changes.
The water sector in Ecuador faces a number of threats as a result of climate change. Even if precipitation increases, it is expected that rising water demand will reduce water supply. Changes in the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) could lead to more La Nina episodes, which could lead to more droughts and a reduction in water supply and crop production.
Coastal Impacts
The planet’s systematic warming is directly driving global mean sea level to rise in two basic ways: (1) melting mountain glaciers and polar ice sheets are adding water to the ocean, and (2) warming of the ocean water causes expansion and therefore greater volume. Since 1880, the global mean sea level has risen roughly 210–240 millimeters (mm), with about a third of it occurring in the previous two and a half decades. The annual growth is currently around 3mm each year.
Natural variability in area winds and ocean currents causes regional fluctuations, which can last for days, months, or even decades. However, additional factors such as ground uplift (e.g., ongoing rebound from Ice Age glacier weight), changes in water tables owing to water extraction or other water management, and even the effects of local erosion can all play a role locally.
 Rising sea levels put a strain on both the physical coastline and coastal ecosystems. Freshwater aquifers, which support municipal and agricultural water supplies as well as natural ecosystems, can be contaminated by saltwater incursions. Because there is a significant lag between attaining equilibrium and global temperatures continuing to rise, sea level will continue to rise for a long time. The magnitude of the rise will be heavily influenced by future carbon dioxide emissions and global warming, and the speed of the rise may be progressively influenced by glacier and ice sheet melting.
Reference – climateknowledgeportal.worldbank, UNDP Climate adoption,NOAA
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