Tim & Kallie in Bolivia
Connect with us!
  • Home
    • About Bolivia
    • About Cochabamba
  • About Our Work
    • About Us
    • About CBM
  • Blog
    • Newsletters
    • Mosaic Magazine
  • Support Us
    • Contact Us

Climate Refugees

24/6/2016

Comments

 
Picture
This past week, we took pause to honour the displaced peoples of the world during World Refugee Day. Bolivia, because of a plague of climate change, is home to thousands of internally displaced climate refugees. As the country is one of the most bio-diverse in the world, it is susceptible to many different forms of climate change.

One of the most troubling changes is the loss of Bolivia's vast tropical glaciers. Normally, the glaciers melt slowly, soak into the earth, and fill up aquifers that provide irrigation and drinking water for millions. Higher than normal temperatures have been causing rain in the mountains

where it normally snows, resulting in the tropical glaciers melting at a faster rate. Instead of slowly soaking into the ground, the glacier waters are now running down the mountains into the rain forest causing landslides and flooding. 

When we first arrived in Bolivia in 2013, the glacier waters were matched by a rainy season of unexpected force. Tropical regions disappeared under rising flood waters and close to 60,000 people lost everything. With homes washed away and livestock and crops drowned, the population was split as some waited for the water to recede in order to piece their lives back together, while others fled to cities on higher ground.

Abnormal rains have also been detrimental to coffee growers as late and heavy rains knock the coffee cherries off their bushes. In recent years, an estimated 30% of coffee crops have been consistently lost due to these late rainstorms.

In other parts of the country, lack of water is the issue. This past year, Lago Poopó, one of Bolivia’s largest lakes has almost completely dried up. As the waters evaporated, ecosystems were destroyed, several species died out, and hundreds of local fishermen had to seek out new livelihoods in other areas. Likewise, due to low rainfall, other major lakes risk facing the same fate.

This drought, along with fluctuating temperatures and flash hail storms, has also had a significant impact on Bolivia's large subsistence farming community. Many of the rural families CBM works with say that because of the lack of rain, they have barely been able to grow enough food to get themselves through the winter and will have nothing left over to sell at market. With the persisting effects of climate change on these small communities, the countryside is dotted with abandoned farms. Defeated farmers are migrating to big cities like El Alto and urban poverty rates are rising as this population tries to find ways to earn a living in a world foreign to them.

On World Refugee Day, we are reminded of all those torn from their homes and think on ways we can reach out to this vulnerable population.

Comments

    Authors

    Our thoughts &
    stories on life in Bolivia.
    Here's more About Us

    Archives

    October 2023
    June 2022
    March 2022
    June 2021
    March 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.