BRAZIL'S MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT PRESENTS CLIMATE CHANGE

UNCLAS BRASILIA 000591 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR OES/EGC TTALLEY AND GTHOMPSON STATE FOR OES/IPC LSPERLING; WHA/BSC WPOPP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV TNGD KSCA EAGR BR SUBJECT: BRAZIL'S MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT PRESENTS CLIMATE CHANGE STUDY RESULTS ¶1. Brazil's Minister of Environment, Marina Silva, presented on February 27, 2007, the expected consequences of the impacts of global warming on the biodiversity of Brazil for the next 100 years (from 2010 to 2100). The results came from a total of eight studies that were requested by the Ministry in 2004. The studies, which will be used as references for future policy making, should not be taken as a prediction of the future, the Minister cautioned, but instead as a warning of the consequences that global warming could have on Brazil. ¶2. The studies concluded that due to climate change, mainly a rise in temperatures, the sea level would increase 4 millimeters a year along the Brazilian coastline where 25% of the country's population (42 million inhabitants) is concentrated. Some islands of the southeast region would be partially or completely covered by water. The rise in sea level would affect wetlands and other vegetations along the coastline of Brazil. Various fish species would also become extinct. ¶3. Because of the variations in temperature, tropical forest trees might decrease their CO2 absorption capacity due to their sensitivity to temperature changes. If temperatures rose over three degree Celsius, coral reefs, which are very sensitive to changes in water temperature, would be threatened. ¶4. Climate change could also bring enormous risks to the country's health sector. Changes in temperature would increase the risks of diseases such as malaria, dengue, yellow fever and encephalitis, which all reproduce faster in hotter temperatures. Respiratory diseases would also become more common due to increased forest fires and the lack of rain. The high temperatures could increase death rates among children and elderly inhabitants. ¶5. The two most alarming results of the studies, however, relate to the Pantanal and the Amazon rainforest. The study predicts that the Pantanal, which now has seasonal flooding, might experience constant flood periods, which would totally disrupt the life cycle processes of the ecosystems of the region and result in the extinction of many of the fauna and flora. By 2050, portions of the Amazon forest could be experiencing shorter rainy seasons the report concludes, and when combined with the effect of the expected higher temperatures, could produce desert or arid areas. CHICOLA