*Jihoon Lee and Raul Muñoz Most of the effects of climate change are felt through water. Disruptive and unpredictable weather patterns cause more droughts and floods, rising sea levels, and environmental contamination. As a result, farmers’ abilities to save their crops, access to clean drinking water, and community protection from extreme weather events are all under … [Read more...] about The Water vs. Climate Change Paradox
Water resources
Nature Based Solutions mitigate the effects of climate change
*By Raphaëlle Ortiz, María Augusta Olmedo, Anamaría Núñez, Seminar Session 1: Tools for valuing ecosystems and nature-based solutions The first of three sessions of the seminar of the Focus on the Americas in World Water Week addressed valuing ecosystem services and nature-based solutions (NBS). It introduced NBS and explored several tools that could help governments, … [Read more...] about Nature Based Solutions mitigate the effects of climate change
Resilient infrastructure in the Caribbean
Marisa (12 years old) lives in a peri-urban community in the outskirts of Kingston, Jamaica. In 2021, her water utility, the National Water Commission (NWC), was severely affected by a hurricane and it took over 3 months to resume service. During that time, this 12-year-old had to walk and wait for the water truck every day to get four gallons of water, barely enough for … [Read more...] about Resilient infrastructure in the Caribbean
Investing in our water future to prevent scarcity in the land of plenty
*By Maria Perez Urdiales and Jesse Madden Libra. Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is the most water-rich region in the world with an astounding 21,672 m3 per capita in renewable freshwater resources. However, over 60% of its population lives in medium-high to extremely high-water risk areas. Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, AQUASTAT data A recent … [Read more...] about Investing in our water future to prevent scarcity in the land of plenty
Groundwaters: the value of the invisible
Groundwater supplies up to 60% of the water in some Latin American and Caribbean countries. They are an invisible resource, but essential for the present and future of the region. By María Augusta Olmedo and Paulina González* When we think of natural water sources, we generally imagine a river, a stream, a lake, flows that we can see with the naked eye. However, … [Read more...] about Groundwaters: the value of the invisible