Environment and Climate Change in Panama
Home to vast tropical rainforests, an immense variety of animal and plant species and the seaway that connects the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, Panama relies heavily on all these resources for its economy. However, environmental challenges threaten the sustainability of these assets and therefore create a significant problem for the country. This paper will examine the effect of weather and climate change on Panama coupled with a specific focus on the Panama Canal. It concentrates largely on the effects of deforestation, coupled with the effect of El-Nino, and examines how this has had significant economic and social consequences.
Panama has a tropical maritime climate, which provides the country with a long, rainy season between May and January and a short, dry season between January and May. Average temperatures are usually high and humidity levels almost never drop below 80%. The country’s carbon emissions are not significant to account for a percentage of the world emissions and they have relatively stayed the same during the period 1995-2000.[i] Forest area stood at 38.6% on 2002, with nationally protected areas at 21.7% of total area.[ii]
In general, data has shown an increase in highly “unusual extreme weather events” since 1992 in the Latin America region and has predicted that these phenomena will become more frequent. These unusual events, coupled with local social and demographic factors, have created emergency conditions in Panama.
One of the most significant challenges to Panama’s environment today is deforestation. Forest area has decreased from 45.6% in 1995 to 38.6% ...
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United Nations Environment Programme. “Climate Change Hits Hard on Latin America and the Caribbean.” Press Release. 2007.
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University Corporation of Atmospheric Research. Reducing the Impact of Environmental Emergencies Through Early Warning and Preparedness. “Panama Canal Case Study: Impacts and Responses to the 1997-98 El Nino Event.”
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In the binational area of El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez flooding has become a way of life due to the scarcity of rain and desert climate. Fortunately, meteorologist, geologist and city planners are continuously working to improve city prior to a storm in order to mitigate any financial hardships during and after a flood. The city has to take in account past events in order to improve infrastructure. They also rely on meteorologist to study how the weather is reacting so they can anticipate the next system and how it will hit this region. The primary expert that contributes to this vital research are the Geologist, who have brought to light the cause and effects during drastic climate events. In this report, it will document infrastructure affects, stormwater management, Climate Whiplash and thoughts from the geologist on the desert-flood relationship.
Panama, a small country located in Central America, is very diversified in both its people and its climate. Considered to be the isthmus connecting South America to North America, Panama has played a key role in global transportation since the creation of the Panama Canal. The canal goes through the midsection of the country connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, allowing for much faster sea travel. Because of its location, Panama has been heavily influenced by several countries including Colombia which they were ruled by until 1903 and the United States which played such a large role in the realization of the canal. These foreign influences can easily be found in Panama's cuisine, music, and artwork as well as all the tribes that have settled within the country.
The culture and political structures of Panama as we know it today has evolved from an incredibly diverse and interesting history. Geographically, Panama lies on an isthmus, a strip of land that essentially connects the greater landmasses of North and South America. It is believed that volcanic activity in the late Pliocene era closed the former Central American Seaway that had separated the two continents. The climatic implications of this landform are incredible, allowing for the redistribution of oceanic currents and the formation of the Gulf Stream of the Atlantic of today.
“ Ecuador Country Case Study: Impacts and Responses to the 1997-98 El Niño Event,”Institute for the Study of Society and Environment, http://www.esig.ucar.edu/un/ecuador.html, vie we d on 2 November 2004.
Climate scientists project that the detrimental effects of climate change will be most profoundly felt in low-income and tropical regions like Puerto Rico, making the island highly susceptible to climate change effects such as ocean acidification, rising temperatures and sea levels, and increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Puerto Rico’s Climate Change Council (PRCCC) expects that the rising sea levels in Puerto Rico will affect our infrastructure, freshwater resources, agriculture, ecosystems and economic growth. The government needs to decide whether Puerto Rico requires more elaborate strategies for combatting rising sea levels, while taking into consideration what measures are
Panama is located in Central America, and it borders the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. On rare occasions, some people consider the territory east of the Panama Canal as part of South America. The location on the Isthmus of Panama is strategic. By 2000, Panama gained control of the Panama Canal, and it connects the Atlantic and the Caribbean to the Pacific Ocean. Panama is ranked 118th worldwide based on land size. For comparison, Panama is slightly smaller than South Carolina or slightly larger than New Brunswick in Canada. The biggest feature of the country's landform is the central spine of mountains and hills that form something called a continental divide. This does not form part of the mountain regions of North America. The divide that is formed by the spine is the highly eroded arch of uplift from the sea bottom, i...
The clock is ticking! Global Co2 emissions have increased exponentially since the industrialization of today’s developed world. Emissions have now passed the absorptive capacity of the earth and are accumulating in the earth’s atmosphere, warming the surface of the earth and inducing localized climatic changes. Climate change is often a localized issue. Many regions of the world will continue to become hotter, while others may experience highly variable weather patterns. Climate change poses a serious threat to ecosystems, economic sectors, and human welfare. Although almost entirely caused by the developed world, climate change will disproportionally affect the world’s poor.
Haiti is a small developing country around the equator. It shares an island with the Dominican Republic. Due to the fact Haiti is situated near the equator, the country experiences a rather warm and humid climate. The average temperature for the country varies based on the time and location where the recording is taking place. Near the beginning of the year, the temperature will average 25 degrees Celsius, but in the summer, the average temperature rises to about 30 degrees Celsius (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2016). In addition, the location is critical as the temperature can differ greatly because of the altitude. At Port-au-Prince, which is at sea level, the temperature averages 26 degrees Celsius. However, higher up in the mountains, the temperature can average about 16 degrees Celsius (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2016).
Rainforests once covered 14% of the worlds land surface, however now it only covers a mere 6%. It is estimated that all rainforests could be consumed in less than 40 years. Trees are becoming more needed and used everyday. We need them cut down for many reasons such as paper and timber, while also needing them ‘untouched’ for other reasons like oxygen, we have to ask ourselves, which is more important? At the current rate, most of the rainforests are being cut down for resources like paper and timber, but less importance is being placed on main resources like oxygen.
Although it is often a topic for contention in politics, global warming over the span of several decades, has led to climate change, which has had an alarming impact globally. Climate change needs to ...
Web. The Web. The Web. 04 Dec. 2013. Climate Change in the Amazon.
The economic impact of the Panama Canal is best noted in increased jobs and income for individuals, families, and the entire economy of the United States. The main way by which the canal has impacted the US economy is increased export and import travel and trade. In fact, goods are exchanged through the Panama Canal on a daily basis. It is reported that more than 10% of U.S. shipping passes through the Panama Canal. Besides providing avenues for exchanging import and export goods
Panama is 75,517 km² big with 2210 km² of surface waters, which makes it a total of 78,200 km² big. As states before, Panama has 9 provinces which can be seen at the political part and can be found in Central America whereas Panama City is the capital city of the country. Environment of Panama has a lot to do with its economic success and stability. It is of course located at the thinnest part of the American continent and has built a canal to take advantage of their location. To further encourage foreign investment and economic development for the country, the government has also set up the Colon Free zone, right next to the Panama Canal.
As climate change becomes a vital topic of conversation, there is also a growing need to determine both the positive and negative impacts of climate change. There are a lot of issues concerned with industrial progress and government regulations of the environment, however, one problem that is often overlooked is the impact on the various socioeconomic classes. Environmental issues hurt those living in countries with poor government regulations due to their resources are constantly depleted and destroyed because of industrialization. In addition, people can hurt the land by overusing its resources and finding environmental regulations irrelevant. The environment and the socioeconomic trends of specific regions have the potential to harm each other, through pollution and lack of solutions, and can benefit one another by providing resources.
According to Article 3 paragraph 1 of the UN’ s legally binding Framework Convention on climate change(Which convention??) “ The Parties should protect the climate system for the benefit of present and future generation of humankind”. Nowadays, the unforeseen and adverse effects of climate change declare their presence worldwide. Temperatures and sea-levels are rising, glaciers are shrinking and extreme weather phenomena such as floods and droughts are becoming more and more common. As it is known of course, global challenges require global solutions. The international community, in accordance with Article 3 paragraph 3 of the same Convention, promoted some measures, in order to minimize these effects. Such initiatives includes, the ratification of international treaties, the compulsion with precautionary measures and the adoption of specific policies that would result to the elimination of the causes of climate change. In addition to these, during the Rio+20 Summit, 108 governments adopted three major agreements: Agenda 21, a program for action in all areas of sustainable development, The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, that specifies each State’s rights and responsibilities and the Statement of Forest Principles. Furthermore, many initiatives have been taken also by NGO’s,such as Greenpeace, supranational and intergovernmental mechanisms like E.U., as for example the adoption of the National Environment Strategy for the period till 2020, the National Action Plan for 2009-20012, the establishment of an emission trading system as an instrument that has to deal with the management of GHG emissions.