Transcript alfarola06
ASSESSMENT OF IMPACTS AND ADAPTATION/ MITIGATION MEASURERMENTS FOR THE WATER RESOURCES SECTOR DUE TO EXTREME EVENTS UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE CONDITIONS IN CENTRAL AMERICA Eric J. Alfaro Escuela de Física (DFAOP-LIAP), Centro de Investigaciones Geofísicas y Centro en Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología. Universidad de Costa Rica AIACC workshop on Development and Application of Scenarios in Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability Assessments 15-25 April 2002 Tyndall Centre School of Environmental Sciences University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK Project Coordinator: Dr. Walter Fernández, DFAOP-UCR, Director • Other team members: • Dr. Jorge Amador, CIGEFI-UCR, Director • Lic. Max Campos, CRRH, Director Main objective: The main objective is to assess the impacts of extreme events, under climate change conditions, on the water resources of Central America in the context of other changes in the region’s environment, economy and life’s quality and to design adaptations and/or mitigation measurements to be implemented by decision-makers. Specific objectives(1) • To develop appropriated climate change scenarios for Central America, which provide alternatives of what might happen under some specific assumptions (like extreme events). • To identify regional vulnerabilities and impacts of the water resources sector to climate change including extreme events. • To propose adaptation strategies to reduce the harms of climate change. Specific objectives(2) • To propose possible complementary mitigation measurements to those being assessed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change (IPCC) in order to reduce the anthropogenic contribution to climate change. • To identify the principal uncertainties, which require to be investigated in order to understand better the climate change impacts on the water resources of Central America, so better adaptation and mitigation measurements can be taken. Decadal Changes in Min. Temp. Dist.(col. Jorge Amador) Frequency Aeropuerto Juan Santamaría (10° 00'N, 84° 12'W, 932m) Tmin 450 60-69 400 70-79 350 80-89 300 90-99 250 200 150 100 50 0 5 10 15 Minimum Temperature (C°) 20 25 Outputs from this project will include: • Climate change scenarios for the Central American Isthmus based on the SRES emission scenarios used in the IPCC-TAR. • Climate change scenarios and extreme events analyses for Central America. • Assessment of the potential impacts of climate change on the water resources sector of the Central American Isthmus. • Assessment of the potential impacts of extreme events, under climate change conditions, on the water resources sector of the Central American Isthmus. Outputs from this project will include: • Adaptation options and mechanisms, for the water resources sector in Central America, to climate change. • Complementary adaptation/mitigation measurements (dual benefits) for the water resources sector. • Priority needs for further research.