10/28/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/27/2021 21:49
Climate change is here and affecting us all. In 2020, hurricanes Eta and Iota devastated much of Central America, affecting more than 8 million people. The Chaco region in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay is suffering its worst drought in over 50 years, putting the livelihoods-- and even the lives-- of millions at risk. This year, South America's second longest river dried out.
The loss of forests is a serious problem and a factor that contributes significantly to the release of carbon dioxide. According to a report by FAO and UNEP, in Latin America between 2000 and 2016, almost 55m hectares of forest were destroyed, in other words, 91% of the world's total loss of forests. Part of this loss was due to out of control wildfires.