Conversations and talks with our President Horacio de Belaustegui – 1st Edition
Climate change in our region. The most recent examples of the problem today and now in Greater La Plata
The president of Fundación Biosfera Horacio de Belaustegui* introduces us to the topic: “Climate change is a global problem on our entire planet, but it is the consequence of the sum of different inappropriate procedures in different parts of it. In our area and in our region we can punctually outline some manifestations that are:
FLOODS
“For example, here in our area of La Plata, you can see the floods on the river coast and in the streams aggravated, especially with the “sudestadas” (strong winds from southeast direction) where they will be much more durable and in the city, with the works done, it will change Elevated areas and low areas will not be as affected. They are going to have much more progress within the territory, especially affecting the neighborhoods, settlements and houses in the flood plains. ”
DRINKING WATER
“Here we are also going to be able to see problems in terms of contamination of the wells that supply the water, especially in areas where there is no drinking water network. Water drilling will be affected by contamination from cesspools in flooded soil. ”
PRECIPITATIONS
“On the other hand we have also already experienced copious precipitation, it means that in a short time there is a large amount of water fall that also generates floods as we have already experienced in our city.”
DROUGHT IN SUMMER TIMES
“Another problem that is surely manifesting itself is the drought in summer seasons where it will not only last one, two or three weeks, without rainfall and without rain, with high temperatures. This will generate a stress in the fruit and vegetable production of the plants, it means a wilting, and precisely with these climatic conditions, the water tables that supply the irrigation water will surely be depressed. So we are going to have problems to be able to irrigate and especially to obtain water from our groundwater table. ”
PRESENCE OF TORNADOES
“And another problem that is also getting worse, and that we are already seeing, is the presence of tornadoes in Greater La Plata. This phenomenon is increasing and in the areas where they appear they destroy the roofs of the houses, with the sheds and the eucalyptus forests it seems that a “giant with a great hand” removed the leaves and branches. It means that the intensification of these tornadoes is going to become more and more present: their presence and certainly also their aggressiveness. ”
“These are some of the feasible points and very by way of example of what we could experience of the climate change problem (they are only some points, disease vectors may also appear for example) and in which we have to take measures to to alert and to have plans to avoid all negative action, resilience plans as they are called. ”
* Observer NGO United Nations Climate Change Convention. Professor of Ecology, UNLu.