Abstract
Climate change and ENSO events are increasing hydro-climatic risks and health impacts in Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay, as well as social inequalities in Bolivia and Paraguay. Climate scenarios project increase in average temperature in the whole region, a slight decrease in precipitation and modified rainy patterns in the Andean region and Paraguay for 2040. More hydro-climatic extremes are also expected, which will likely worsen health vulnerability without further adaptation measures. A Vulnerability, Impact and Adaptation Network conducted research on excessive rainfall, floods and land-slides from 2007 to 2014 in Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay. Herein, a case study of the vulnerability and human impacts of an extreme rainfall and land-slide in Callapa, La Paz, Bolivia in 2011 is presented. As result of early warning system (EWS) and emergency systems human life losses were not recorded. A comparison between two districts (with and without land-slide) was made modifying Urban HEART equity instrument. Its goal was to better inform the adaptation and community resilience measurements design. The health outcomes included dehydration, diarrhea, acute respiratory infections, and mental health issues. Inter-sectoral policies and strategies were developed to improve climate adaptation measures. Despite strong differences in socio-economic and health status the three studied countries are vulnerable to hydro-climatic extremes. EWS and preparedness based on climate and socio-economic assessments and monitoring are crucial to increase resilience to extreme events.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Aparicio-Effen M (2010) Evaluación de la vulnerabilidad sanitaria nacional y subnacional al cambio climático (incluida su variabilidad), como base para el diseño e implementación de medidas de adaptación. Organización Panamericana de la Salud/Organización Mundial de la Salud. http://www.ops.org.bo/textocompleto/clima32340.pdf
Aparicio-Effen M, Aparicio J, Ramallo C, Arana I, Ocampo M (in press) Participatory assessment of climate change and climate variability in cities located in mountainous ecosystems (La Paz, Bolivia) ‘The state of DRR at the local level—a 2015 report on the patterns of disaster risk reduction actions at local level’. World disaster risk reduction conference organized by UN in Sendai city, Japan. http://www.wcdrr.org/conference
Bidegain M, de los Santos B, Skusunosky S, Kitoh A (2011) Escenarios Climáticos futuros con el modelo japonés MRI-CGCM2.3. Anais do 7° Simpósio de Meteorología e Geofísica da APMG y XIV Congreso Latinoamericano e Ibérico de Meteorología, Portugal, March 2011
Bidegain M, Stella JL, Penalba OC (2014) Regional climates. Southern South America, Chap 7. In: Blunden J, Arndt DS (eds) 2014: State of the climate in 2013. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 95:S1–S279. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/2014BAMSStateoftheClimate.1. Accessed 23 Jan 2015
Bidegain M, Stella JL, Bettolli ML, Quintana J (2015) Southern South America [in state of the climate 2014]. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 96(7):S182–S184
Burton I (2004) Climate change and the adaptation deficit. Occasional paper 3, Adaptation and Impacts Research Group, Environment Canada, Ottawa, 33 pp. http://projects.upei.ca/climate/files/2012/10/Book-5_Paper-3.pdf. Accessed 4 Jan 2015
Campbell-Lendrum D, Bertollini R, Neira M, Ebi K, McMichael A (2009) Health and climate change: a roadmap for applied research. Lancet 373(9676):1663–1665
CCSP (2008) Analyses of the effects of global change on human health and welfare and human systems. A report by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on Global Change Research. Ebi KL, Sussman FG, Wilbanks TJ (authors), Gamble JL (ed). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC
CEPAL (2014a) Perspectivas económicas de América latina. http://www.repositorio.cepal.org/bitstream/handle/11362/1252/2013870_pt.pdf?sequence=1. Accessed 15 Jan 2015
CEPAL (2014b) Panorama Social de América Latina. http://www.cepal.org/es/…/37626-panorama-social-de-america-latina-2014. Accessed 14 Jan 2015
Coronel G, Pastén M, Báez J, Monte Domecq R, Bidegain M, Nagy GJ (2015) Improving capacities and communication on climate threats for water resources adaptation in Paraguay. In: Leal W (ed) Handbook of climate change adaptation. Springer, Berlin. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-40455-9_113-1, Online ISBN:978-3-642-40455-9
Corvalán C (2012) II Foro Virtual Salud Humana y Sistemas Productivos. Efectos del Cambio Climático en la Salud Humana. Los determinantes sociales y ambientales en relación al cambio climático y la salud. http://www.who.int/social_determinants/es/
Disasters (2007) Floods in Bolivia. Preparedness and mitigation in the Americas. Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and World Health Organization (WHO), Issue 107, June 2007. http://www.paho.org/disasters/newsletter/index.php
ECLAC (2013) Natural resources within the Union of South American Nations. Status and trends for a regional development agenda. ECLAC-UNASUR. http://www.cepal.org/en/publications/natural-resources-status-and-trends-towards-regional-development-agenda-latin-america. Accessed 20 Feb 2015
Economics of Adaptation to Climate Change Team (EACC) (2012) The costs to developing countries of adapting to climate change new methods and estimates. The global report of the Economics of Adaptation to Climate Change Study. Consultation draft, 102 pp. http://www.documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2010/01/12563514/costs-developing-countriesadapting-climate-change-new-methods-estimatesglobal-report-economics-adaptation-climate-changestudy. Accessed 3 Jan 2015
EPA (2010) Human health: climate impacts and adaptation examples. http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/impacts-adaptation/health.html. Accessed 25 Feb 2015
Epstein P (2010) The ecology of climate change and infectious diseases: comment. Ecology 91:925–928
Ferraz Mourão C (2014) PRODUTO 1: Relatório contendo a análise das simulações do modelo Eta-20 km para a região da Bacia do Prata, utilizando as condições do HadGEM2-ES RCP 4.5, para o período de 1961-2100. PROJETO: The Integrated Water Resources Management Section-18060 Organizaçã dos Estados Americanos, 26 pp. Unpublished Working paper
GAMLP (2011) Compendio de Estadísticas Ambientales—bivica. Gobierno Autónomo Municipal de La Paz. http://www.bivica.org/upload/ag_estadisticas-ambientales.pdf
Guha-Sapir D, Hoyois Ph, Below R (2014) Annual disaster statistical review 2013: the numbers and trends. CRED, Brussels. http://www.cred.be/sites/default/files/ADSR_2013.pdf. Accessed 3 Jan 2015
Haines A (2008) Climate change and human health: impacts, vulnerability and public health. Public Health 120(7):585–596
Handicap International (2009) Guideline for KAP survey managers October 2009 knowledge, attitudes and practices for risk education: how to implement KAP surveys. ISBN:978-2-909064-21-5, 8 pp
IMF (2014) Survey magazine: countries and regions growth in Latin America and the Caribbean slows further IMF Survey, 10 Oct 2014. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/f7/survey/so/2014/car10114c.htm. Accessed 24 Jan 2015
INUMET (2015) Anomalías Climáticas durante 2014 en Uruguay. Dirección de Climatología y Documentación, Instituto Uruguayo de Meteorología. http://www.meteorologia.gub.uy. Accessed 26 Jan 2015
IPCC (2012) Managing the risks of extreme events and disasters to advance climate change adaptation: special report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
IPCC (2013) Climate change 2013: the physical science basis. Working Group I contribution to the fifth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/wg1/. Accessed 20 Mar 2014
IPCC (2014) Climate change 2014: impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability. Working Group II contribution to the fifth assessment report. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Lafferty KD (2009) The ecology of climate change and infectious diseases. Ecology 90:888–900
Londoño A, Levis S, Rodas J (2011) Hantavirus como agentes emergentes de importancia en Suramérica. Biomédica 31:451–464
Lorini JL (1991) Clima de un Valle de Los Andes: La Paz. In: Forno E, Baudoin M (eds) Historia Natural Editorial Instituto de Ecología. Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, pp 27–46
Magrin G, Gay C, Cruz Choque D, Giménez JC, Moreno AR, Nagy GJ, Nobre C, Villamizar A (2007) Latin America, chap 13. In: Parry ML, Canziani OF, Palutikof JP, van der Linden PJ, Hanson CE (eds) Climate change 2007: impacts, adaptation and vulnerability, Contribution of Working Group II to the fourth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 581–615. ISBN 978 0521 88010-7
Magrin G, Marengo J, Boulanger JP, Buckeridge M, Castellanos E, Poveda G, Nobre C, Scarano F, Vicuña S (2014) Central and South America, chap 27. In: Barros VR, Field CB, Dokken DJ, Mastrandrea MD, Mach KC, Bilir TE, Chatterjee M, Ebi KL, Estrada YO, Genova RC, Girma B, Kissel ES, Levy AN, MacCracken S, Mastrandrea PR, White LL (eds) Climate change 2014: impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Part B: Regional aspects, Contribution of Working Group II to the fifth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC, 2014. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 1499–1566, http://ipcc-wg2.gov/AR5/report/citations/. ISBN 978-1-107-68386-0
McCarthy J, Canziani O, Leary NA, Dokken D, White C (eds) (2001) Climate change 2001: impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability, IPCC, 2001. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1032 pp. http://www.cambridge.org. ISBN 0-521-01500-6
McMichael AJ, Woodruff RE, Hales S (2006) Climate change and human health: present and future risks. Lancet 367:859–869
MDG (2014) The Millennium Development Goals report 2014. http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/2014%20MDG%20re. Accessed 20 Feb 2015
MMA (2013) Informe de Gestión 2013 Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Agua Bolivia. http://www.mmaya.gob.bo/
Nagy GJ, Caffera RM, Aparicio M, Barrenechea P, Bidegain M, Giménez JC, Lentini E, Magrin G, Murgida A, Nobre C, Ponce A, Travasso M, Villamizar A, Wehbe M (2006) Understanding the potential impacts of climate change and variability in Latin America and the Caribbean. Report prepared for the Stern review on the economics of climate change, Department for International Development-DFID, HM Treasury. http://www.dfld.de/Presse/PMitt/2006/061030cA.pdf
Nagy GJ, Seijo L, Verocai JE, Bidegain M (2014a) Stakeholders’ climate perception and adaptation in coastal Uruguay. Int J Clim Change Strateg Manag 6(1):63–84. doi:10.1108/IJCCSM-03-2013-0035, ISSN: 1756-8692
Nagy GJ, Muñoz N, Verocai JE, Bidegain M, de los Santos B, Seijo L, Feola G, Brena B, Risso J, Martín Garcia J (2014b) Integrating climate science, monitoring, and management in the Rio de la Plata Estuarine Front (Uruguay). In: Leal Filho W, Alves F, Caeiro S, Azeiteiro U (eds) International perspectives on climate change: Latin America and beyond. Springer, Berlin, pp 79–91, Chap 6. http://link.springer.com/book/10.1007%2F978-3-319-04489-7. ISBN 978-3-319-04489-7
Nagy GJ, Muñoz N, Verocai JE, Bidegain M, Seijo L (2014c) Adjusting to current climate threats and planning adaptation: the case of the Uruguayan Coastal Zone within the Rio de la Plata river estuary. J Integr Coast Manag 14(4):1–15. doi:10.5894/rgci472, Special issue on “Lay rationalities of climate change in the coastal zone”
Nagy GJ, Coronel G, Pastén M, Báez J, Monte Domecq R, Galeano-Rojas A, Flores L, Ciganda C, Bidegain M, Aparicio-Effen M, Arana I (2016) Impacts on well-being and health by excessive rainfall and floods in Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia. In: Leal Filho W, Alves F, Azeiteiro UM (eds) Climate change and health: improving resilience and reducing risks. Springer, Cham
ND-Gain (2012) Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index. http://index.gain.org. Accessed 12 Jan 2015
NOAA (2014) Multivariate ENSO index (MEI)—NOAA earth system. www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/enso/mei/. Accessed 23 Jan 2015
OMS (2014) Clima y salud: Resultados de la Conferencia OMS sobre salud y clima. Informe de la Secretaria. Consejo Ejecutivo. EB136/16, 136.ª reunión, 5 de diciembre de 2014. http://www.apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB136/B136_1-sp.pdf?ua=1
PAHO (2015) Heavy rains and floods in Bolivia. Report of the Pan American Health Organization. http://reliefweb.int/disaster/fl-2015-000008-bol
Pasten M, Giménez A (2012) Adaptación para los cambios climáticos el sector salud en América Latina. Escenarios Climáticos para Paraguay. Informe de Avance. http://kp.iadb.org/Adaptacion/…/Documentos%20del%20Estudio%20de%20V
PNCC (2007) Mecanismo Nacional de Adaptación al Cambio Climático (MNACC), Bolivia. http://www.siteresources.worldbank.org/INTCC/Resources/MecanismoNacional. Accessed 28 Feb 2015
ProVention (2013) Disaster statistics. Human and economic losses in countries. http://www.preventionweb.net/english/countries/statistics/? Accessed 1 Feb 2015
Ramallo C (2013) Caracterisation du regime pluviométrique et sa relation à la fonte du glacier Zongo (Cordillera Royale). These doctorat, Universite de Grenoble. www.lthe.fr/PagePerso/boudevil/THESES/ramallo_13.pdf
Seiler C, Hutjes RWA, Kabat P (2013) Climate variability and trends in Bolivia. J Appl Meteorol Climatol 52:130–146. doi:10.1175/JAMC-D-12-0105.1
Senior K (2008) Climate change and infectious disease: a dangerous liaison? Lancet Infect Dis 8:92–93
Shuman EK (2010) Global climate change and infectious disease. N Engl J Med 362:1061–1063
The Royal Society (2015) Climate change challenges to health: risks and opportunities. Recommendations from the 2014 Murphy High Flyers think tank. Australian Academy of Science. ISBN:978-0-858474147. www.science.org.au/theo-murphy-high-flyers-think-tanks. Accessed 12 Apr 2015
UNDP (2014) Human development report 2014. Sustaining human progress: reducing vulnerabilities and building resilience. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). ISBN:978-92-1-126368-8. http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/hdr14-report-en-1.pdf
UN-Habitat (2012) State of the world’s cities 2012/2013—UN-HABITAT. http://mirror.unhabitat.org/pmss/listItemDetails.aspx?publicationID=3387&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
Vuille M, Bradley R, Keimig F (2000) Interannual climate variability in the central Andes and its relation to tropical Pacific and Atlantic forcing. J Geophys Res 105:450–459
Watson JT, Gayer M, Connolly MA (2007) Epidemics after natural disasters. Emerg Infect Dis 693(13):1–5. doi:10.3201/eid1301.060779, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2725828/
WHO (2014) Health expenditure per capita data by country. World Health Organization. http://apps.who.int/gho/data/view.main.1920ALL?lang=en. Accessed 10 Jan 2015
WHO/PAHO (2010) Hidden cities: unmasking and recovering health inequalities in Urban settings. World Health Organization Centre for Health Development (Kobe). ISBN:9789241548038. http://www.who.int/kobecentre/publications/hiddencitiesmedia/who_un_habitat_hidden_cities_web.pdf
World Bank (2014a) Socio-economic indicators. http://worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD;data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.PCAP
World Bank (2014b) Income classification of countries. http://www.data.worldbank.org. Accessed 10 Jan 2015
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to: La Paz Municipal Government (GAMLP) and its Prevention Risk Direction; National Meteorological and Hydrological Service (SENHAMI); WHO KOBE CENTER; PAHO/WHO; people who suffered the consequences of La Paz mega-landslide.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Aparicio-Effen, M. et al. (2016). Introducing Hydro-Climatic Extremes and Human Impacts in Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay. In: Leal Filho, W., Azeiteiro, U., Alves, F. (eds) Climate Change and Health. Climate Change Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24660-4_26
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24660-4_26
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-24658-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-24660-4
eBook Packages: Economics and FinanceEconomics and Finance (R0)