Jamaica Climate Risk
Jamaica climate background
What is the Climate in Jamaica?
Summer temperatures in Jamaica are at their highest from June to September, while winter temperatures are at their lowest from December to March. During the fall and winter months, the northern parts of the island are subjected to cooler temperatures as a result of intermittent surges of frigid air from continental North America.
Between December and March, there is a dry season, and between April and November, there is a rainy season, which is separated into early and late rainfall seasons. The early and late wet seasons are separated by a mid-summer minimum around July. The rainy season (May to October) has the most rainfall, with the dry season (February and March) seeing the least.
Jamaica Climate Change Location
Jamaica is a small Caribbean island with significant economic assets in tourism, fishing, industry, and agriculture. Hurricanes, tropical storms, sea level rise, and land loss threaten the country’s vital businesses and over half of the population, which are vulnerable to hurricanes, tropical storms, sea level rise, and land loss.
The incidence of vector-borne and waterborne diseases, which are already endemic to the country, is increasing as a result of rising temperatures and strong rainfall events. Warming temperatures also prevent groundwater recharge, putting people and the agricultural sector at risk of water stress.The energy industry is the main source of greenhouse gas emissions in Jamaica, with manufacturing, construction, and electricity and heat generating being the main sources.
Jamaica Climate Affects and Global Climate Change
Occasionally, specific countries and towns are unaffected by the threats that afflict their region as a whole. This is not the situation in Jamaica, because the same climate change hazards that affect tiny islands and the Caribbean also affect Jamaica and its people.
These risks have a variety of negative consequences in Jamaica, including erosion, flooding, drought, freshwater degradation, and health concerns (CSGM, 2017). Here are some examples of how each of the climate change hazards discussed in the previous section is affecting Jamaica and its people.
Jamaica Climate Change Video
Rainfall patterns in Jamaica have become more erratic. Jamaica is expected to dry out, according to RCM predictions. More severe rainfall and flooding, on the other hand, are threatening some areas. Changes in precipitation, as well as warmer and wetter climate conditions, may contribute to increased dengue outbreaks in Jamaica.
Because of its dependency on freshwater sources, insufficient infrastructure, and reliance on various economic commodities and services, Jamaica is vulnerable to the climate change dangers that threaten it.
Because 84 percent of Jamaica’s exploitable water supply is groundwater, which declines with decreasing rainfall, the country is sensitive to altering rainfall patterns (USAID, 2018, 2). It is also vulnerable due to its infrastructure. Because much of Jamaica’s infrastructure is located near beaches, it is vulnerable to storm surges and hurricanes.
Finally, Jamaica is especially vulnerable to climate change due to its reliance on agriculture and tourism.
Air and Sea Surface Temperatures
Increased tropical storm and hurricane activity in the Caribbean has been related to rising air and sea surface temperatures. Increasing sea surface temperatures are also having an impact on Jamaica’s biodiversity and causing health issues.
Events such as mass coral bleaching are becoming more common as water temperatures rise.
Increased temperatures have an impact on diseases such as leptospirosis; rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and diminishing water availability and quality are all favourable to outbreaks of this nature (IPCC, 2014, 1624).
Jamaica Climate with Hurricanes
What is the Jamaica Climate Risk?
Increased hurricane frequency also poses a threat to Jamaica’s freshwater supply, erosion, and infrastructural damage (CSGM, 2017, 94-95).
In 1998, Hurricane Mitch washed away 10 m3 of beach sand near West End and Long Bay.
Hurricanes Ivan (2004), Wilma (2004), and Dean (2007) all wreaked havoc in Jamaica, causing significant erosion. These disasters resulted in floods, infrastructure damage, and damage to Negril’s Coral Reef Park.
Jamaica Climate Change and Agriculture
Agriculture is one of Jamaica’s most important economic sectors, accounting for 6.8% of GDP and employing more than 180,000 farmers. Temperature rises and precipitation decreases will have an influence on the sector.
Crops and livestock will be stressed by higher temperatures, and worker productivity will be reduced. Because just 6.9% of agricultural land is irrigated, agricultural productivity is highly dependent on rainfall. Agriculture will be stressed by wider rainfall ranges and an increase in the frequency of extreme precipitation events.
Extreme storms, hurricanes, and floods would put a strain on agricultural productivity while also displacing people from susceptible locations, affecting food demand and availability.
Jamaica Climate Change and Water
Jamaica Climate riks and climate change can have an impact on water supply, quality, and management. According to climate change forecasts, Jamaica’s yearly runoff will be reduced by 15% or more.
Increased extreme weather events with high rainfall could pollute waterways and have an impact on water resources, particularly beaches and near-shore water quality. Factors such as sea level rise and precipitation that weaken water management systems can generate settings conducive to vector-borne illness transmission.
Rising temperatures are projected to necessitate more cooling devices, which would necessitate more water for energy generation. Salt water intrusion from rising sea levels can have an influence on aquifers.
reference – climateknowledgeportal-world bank
recentclimate – Jamaica Climate Risk