Chile Climate Change and Disaster Impacts
Chile Climate Location
Chile’s area spans South America, Antarctica, and the Pacific Ocean, giving it a diverse geology, climatic, and biological landscape. Chile is isolated from the rest of South America by the Atacama desert (the world’s driest desert) to the north, the Andes mountain range to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and the Antarctic ice caps to the south.
Chile has particularly unique climatic characteristics due to its geographic isolation and the fact that it spans over 40 degrees latitude from its northernmost to southernmost points. Chile has subtropical, sub-Antarctic, and Antarctic climates.
Chile Climate Video
Chile’s continental territory is located on the western edge of South America, between 17o30′ and 56o30′ south latitude. The entire surface area is 2,006,096 square kilometers, with mainland Chile and its ocean territories accounting for 756,096 square kilometers and the Chilean Antarctic Territory accounting for 1,250,000 square kilometers.
From north to south, Chile’s continental length is 4,300 kilometers. Chile is the world’s longest and narrowest country, with an average east-west distance of 232.5 kilometers.
Chile Climate Background
Chile has a diverse spectrum of temperatures and ecosystems due to its distinct geology and topography. Chile is bordered on the north by the Atacama Desert, one of the world’s driest deserts, on the east by the ice-capped Andes Mountains, on the west by the Pacific Ocean, and on the south by the Antarctic continent.
Thus, Chile’s many climate zones run from tropical in the north to Mediterranean in the center to Antarctic (antiboreal oceanic) in the south, with distinct regional climates such as the parched Atacama Desert and the high Andean peaks.
Chile has moderate southern hemispheric summers, with mean annual temperatures of 10°C-12°C, and wet winters, with precipitation ranging from 72 to 90 millimeters (mm) each month, between November and January. The El Nio Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), and Antarctic Oscillation all have an impact on Chile’s climate (AAO).
Years with ENSO have a higher possibility of precipitation in Chile; when combined with the PDO, ENSO has a significant impact on snow accumulation and mountain flow regimes. The Andean mountains have an impact on precipitation patterns throughout the country, affecting temperature and precipitation. Upwelling, the migration of dense, chilly, and nutrient-rich water to the surface, is governed by wind and ocean temperature trends, which favors Chile’s long coast.
Temperatures in Chile vary by latitude and altitude, with warmer temperatures in the summer months in the south (November-February). Temperatures are cooler at higher elevations and closer to the Antarctic south pole, and warmer in tropical climes. Precipitation follows a seasonal pattern, with the highest precipitation in the winter and drier conditions in the summer.
Rainfall is scarce in some locations, such as the Atacama Desert, especially during the winter months. Precipitation is heavier in the south, especially during the winter. The precipitation in the central region, near Santiago, varies greatly, with the majority of precipitation falling between May and July and nearly no precipitation falling between October and March.
Temperature
Temperatures in Chile vary by latitude and altitude, with warmer temperatures in the summer months in the south (November-February).
Temperatures are cooler at higher elevations and closer to the Antarctic south pole, and warmer in tropical climes. In recent decades, the country’s average temperature has risen moderately. Temperatures in Chile’s northern and central areas are higher than in the south.
Precipitation
The amount of precipitation in Chile varies greatly depending on latitude and elevation. The country is home to some of the world’s driest deserts as well as high-precipitation areas.
Precipitation follows a seasonal pattern, with the highest precipitation in the winter and drier conditions in the summer. Rainfall is scarce in some locations, such as the Atacama Desert, especially during the winter months.
Precipitation is heavier in the south, especially during the winter. The precipitation in the central region, near Santiago, varies greatly, with the majority of precipitation falling between May and July and nearly no precipitation falling between October and MarchIn the last century, annual precipitation in coastal areas has declined by 15-30%. Droughts have struck the country multiple times in recent decades.
Atacama Desert
The entire country of Chile north of Santiago is desert, both on the coast and in the Andes. It rarely rains on the coast, in cities like Arica, Iquique, and Antofagasta: years can pass between showers. The Atacama Desert, the world’s driest spot, occupies this region.
The Humboldt Current, a cold sea current, is to blame for the aridity because it prevents the production of upward air currents that could produce rain clouds. The sea current is, of course, frigid in compared to the area’s tropical latitude.
The sun, however, is regularly blocked by fog and low clouds (known as Camanchacas), especially from April to October, though this occurs less frequently than in neighboring Peru; it is better in summer, from December to February, and thus the best season to explore this northern part of the coast.
From north to south, daily average temperatures in Arica range from 23 °C (73 °F) in January and February to 16 °C (61 °F) in June and July, in Iquique from 21.5 °C to 15.5 °C (70.5 °F to 60 °F), in Antofagasta from 20 °C to 14 °C (68 °F to 57 °F), and in Coquimbo from 17 °C to 12 °C
Summer daytime temperatures in interior places are a few degrees warmer than on the coast, as long as we stay in the plains or at low heights. A lunar scenery may be found at this latitude in the Andes, where the climate is also desert, while the temperature obviously lowers with increasing height; the mountains are above the fog layer, therefore the sun shines all year.
Over 3,000 meters (10,000 feet), it can get frigid at night, with heavy frosts likely, especially in the winter, however the tropical sun of the highlands can keep the temperature above freezing throughout the day. To reach select snowfields where the rare snowfalls can be preserved, you must climb to very high altitudes, exceeding 5,500 meters (18,000 ft)
Chile Climate Change
Increases in global air and ocean temperatures, rising global sea levels, long-term sustained widespread reductions in snow and ice cover, and changes in atmospheric and ocean circulation as well as regional weather patterns, which influence seasonal precipitation and temperature conditions, have all been observed during the twentieth century.
Chile Climate Change Video
Extra heat in the climate system owing to the addition of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere causes these changes. Human activities like as the combustion of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas), agriculture, and land clearing are the primary sources of these additional greenhouse gases.
These activities increase the amount of greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere. An increasing greenhouse effect is consistent with the pattern of observed changes in the climate system. Volcanoes, the sun, and natural variability, among other climatic factors, cannot explain the time and magnitude of the observed changes. Climates are changing today.
Climate change science is backed up by considerable scientific study conducted and reported all over the world. Climate data is gathered from environmental observations and measurements in the past and present. Climate models are used to better understand the causes of climate change and forecast future changes.
Chile is especially vulnerable to climate change and is already suffering from its effects, such as a long-running drought in central and southern Chile that began in 2010. Agriculture production, forest fires, indigenous populations, and biodiversity are all expected to suffer as a result of these effects in the future.
Even if all of the Paris Agreement’s pledges were met right now, the temperature would rise by over 3.4 degrees, which would be devastating.
Chile Climate Change Disaster Risks
Chile is extremely sensitive to a variety of hazards, including earthquakes, volcanic activity, and tsunamis, as well as dangers that are changing as a result of climate change, such as wildfires, floods and landslides, and droughts. Chile has had numerous droughts, including one that lasted from 2008 to 2015 and devastated much of the country’s southern and central regions.
Multiple hazards that have historically afflicted Chile, such as wildfires, floods and landslides, droughts, and the effects of sea-level rise, are predicted to alter in frequency, intensity, exposure, and scale as a result of climate change. Risk accumulation, exposure, and various hazards can have serious consequences for regional economic growth and development, notably in the areas of power generation, agriculture, and public health.
Chile Climate Change and Disaster Chile National climate change Action Planhas had numerous droughts, including one that lasted from 2008 to 2015 and devastated much of the country’s southern and central regions. Drought has an impact on human health through affecting water supply and food production, as well as other essential industries such as agriculture, energy, and mining.
Droughts may become more common in some areas as temperatures rise and climatic patterns change.The region between Santiago and Puerto Montt is the most fire-prone. Human health, urban populations, forests, agricultural lands, and soil health, among other vital sectors, are all affected by wildfire.
During fire season, changes in precipitation and water management can make forested regions more prone to flames. In 2017, Chile was ravaged by massive wildfires.River systems are influenced by precipitation patterns, land use, wind, glacier and snow melt, and other climatic variables.
Flooding has the potential to have a negative impact on the human population, energy generation, essential infrastructure, agricultural production, and water quality. The rainy season, which runs from April to September, is when the most flooding occurs.
Chile, on the other hand, has recently witnessed flash flooding as a result of temperature shifts and snow melt.Flooding and wildfires are more common, whereas earthquakes, the third most common calamity, account for a considerable portion of natural disaster-related deaths and economic losses.
Chile Climate Change and Disaster Impacts
Agriculture
The Chilean economy considers agriculture to be a priority sector. Chile’s varied environment helped it to grow rapidly and become the fifteenth largest exporter of agricultural products in 2016, with a total value of over $15,607 billion in food exports (Invest Chile, 2016). Chile has made major investments in agroindustry and innovation to improve its role in agricultural value chains.
Chile Climate Change Video – Agriculture
In 2014, agricultural land covered 15,761 hectares, or 21% of the country’s total area. In 2016, agricultural production contributed about 4.3 percent to GDP. The O’Higgings and Maule regions account for the majority of agricultural employment and GDP contributions. Certain areas inside other regions, on the other hand, are heavily reliant on agriculture. Reduced precipitation in the northern and central United States is posing a threat to both rain-fed and irrigated agriculture.
Increases in temperature in southern sections of the country, where temperatures are colder on average, could make them viable for agricultural output.
Water
With 1,251 rivers, 101 watersheds, and 15,000 lakes and ponds, Chile has an abundance of water resources. The country’s yearly water availability per capita is 53,000m3/year. Water availability, on the other hand, varies by region, ranging from 52 m3/year to 2.9 million m3/year (Chile Water Strategy 2012-2025). Agriculture consumes the most water (about 73 percent of all water drawn), followed by industry (12 percent), mining (9 percent), and sanitation (6%). (Chile Water Strategy 2012-2025).
Chile Climate Change and Disaster Impacts, which has a hydroelectric energy potential of 9GW/h, uses water resources to generate sustainable energy. Water is a critical input to Chile’s productive sectors, which account for a considerable portion of the country’s GDP and employment. Water distribution and availability between regions have been a problem in the past, and this problem may become more apparent as the climate changes.
Chile Climate Change Video – Worst Water Scarecity
In comparison to the southern regions, drought and water scarcity are expected to be focused in the middle and northern regions. According to ensemble projection models, the country’s annual severe drought likelihood will rise by 34% (7-69%) by mid-century and 63 percent (27-84%) by the end of the century.
Coastal Disaster Risks
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.
Chile Climate Change and Disaster Impacts, 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.
Chile Climate Change and Final Concern
Chile is extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change, with fisheries, agriculture, forestry, biodiversity, and water resources being among the most vulnerable sectors. Chile identified the following as near-term priority adaptation areas in its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution.
Increasing resilience under the National Climate Change Adaptation Plan and sectoral plans for key sectors through a decentralized approach, identifying financing sources to implement sectoral plans, synergies between adaptation and mitigation, and institutional strengthening.
reference – World Bank Climate Knowledge,UNDP Climate Adoption ,NPR,
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