World Climate Day and Climate Change Adaptation
Do you know what climate is?
It refers to the average weather in terms of mean and variability over a specific period of time and area. In some cases, these averages may be calculated over 30 years.
NOAA (2023)
Do you know what climate change is?
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) defines climate change as the change in climate that is directly or indirectly attributed to human activity, which alters the global atmospheric composition and adds to the natural variability of climate observed over comparable time periods.
What is the primary anthropogenic driver of climate change?
The main driver is the increase in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), primarily carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, and ozone. Among the main GHG-generating activities are fossil fuel use, land-use changes, and agriculture.
IPCC (2022)
What does surpassing 1.5°C of global average temperature entail?
Climate models predict robust differences in regional climate characteristics, such as: increased average land and ocean temperatures, episodes of extreme heat, intense precipitation, and increased likelihood of drought and precipitation deficits (IPCC, 2019).
The global average temperature for the past twelve months (from March 2023 to February 2024) is the highest on record, standing at 0.68°C above the 1991-2020 average and 1.56°C above the pre-industrial average of 1850-1900, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service of the European Union.
What is Peru currently facing?
Coastal el Niño
According to Technical Report ENFEN No. 04-2024 dated March 2, 2024, Peru is still under a “Coastal El Niño Alert” state, as it is likely that Coastal El Niño (Niño 1+2 region) will continue until March, due to the variability of regional climate conditions.
Heatwaves
In January, the Peruvian coast experienced frequent warm conditions towards the end of the month, with prolonged daytime heatwaves in the central and southern regions.
Extreme Air Precipitation and Temperature Bulletin from MINAM and SENAMHI (2024)
Vulnerability
Peru is the third most vulnerable country to climate change after Bangladesh and Honduras, due to its geographic and ecosystemic characteristics, as well as its great diversity of climates.
Extreme Air Precipitation and Temperature Bulletin from MINAM and SENAMHI (2024)
What measures for climate change adaptation should be adopted?
What is Anddes' contribution in the projects it carries out to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change?
- We incorporate environmental criteria into our engineering designs to avoid and/or reduce the use of areas with sensitive vegetation cover, such as forests or wetlands, and bodies of water.
- We optimize resource use during construction and/or operation planning, such as reducing water and energy consumption, minimizing clearing and earthmoving, which helps reduce project carbon footprint.
- We incorporate the concept of climate change into the design of hydraulic structures for proper water management.
Ariana Cerna
Environmental Specialist
Anddes Perú