Climate change, created by excess greenhouse gases on the planet, is terrifyingly real, undoubtedly urgent, and enormously worrying for those of us who will suffer its impact. At the same time, it is unpredictable: no one can specify the exact climate in a specific place in the medium term. We do not know when the flood will come, or which river will rise and which will not. We do not know which crops will fail. We do not know the resistance of the roof of our houses to a hurricane. We only know that this hurricane will come one day.
Actions taken around the world to mitigate climate change have progressed, but it is not enough according to the 2023 report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The lack of decision and real action will affect the entire globe, but especially the most exposed communities and the most vulnerable people within those communities.
With each degree of warming, the risks for all living beings on the planet also increase and the effectiveness of adaptation measures decreases. According to the IPCC, limiting ourselves to a 1.5 degree increase requires “deep and almost immediate reductions in greenhouse gas production.”
Costa Rica is among the most vulnerable countries to climate change. We know that agriculture is currently affected and that the effects will worsen in the future.
Hurricanes Nate (in 2016, 2,541 people rescued) and Otto (in 2016, at least 9 dead) alerted us to floods, landslides, damage to houses, bridges and roads. Hurricane Nate is considered one of the most impactful in the country: affecting 76 cantons, leaving 506,000 people without water and causing damages worth millions of dollars.
On the other hand, droughts have generated water shortages affecting the water supply of communities, this year in a dramatic way especially for the residents of the neighborhoods of Hatillo, 15 de Setiembre and Sagrada Familia in San José with water cuts of more than 12 hours in a row and who have had to resort to protest to be heard.
How can we cope with so many adversities?
Are we diversifying agriculture in each region to face current and future changes? Have we already developed drought-resistant varieties? Have bridges been checked and reinforced? Are we sure that no house is close enough to a river to be swept away? Do communities know what to do in the event of a hurricane? Do we know how to harvest water? Have the Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA) and the Associations of Administrators of Communal Aqueduct and Sewer Systems (Asadas) already increased their capacity to provide water in the face of very strong summers? Obviously, there are many pending tasks.
And are these needs already budgeted for? Are they already in the plans of local governments? Remembering that the greatest impact of climate change will be on the most vulnerable communities, are communities organized to secure their food, protect their homes, their infrastructure? Do they have plans to adapt to climate change? Are you communicating with each other to offer your support and solidarity at any time?
Importance of organizing communities
Given these concerns and many others, the importance of organizing ourselves in our communities and cantons is clear. To this end, the University of Costa Rica, from its campus in Guápiles, Headquarters of the Atlantic, promotes a project on Adaptation to Climate Change between Sarapiquí and Siquirres.
Currently, it works in a very simple way. We have been gathering people interested in the subject (a subject that is difficult to embrace because of its thorny nature) in a network that communicates through WhatsApp.
The first priority is to be able to share accurate information on the subject among different people, among whom we find community representatives, members of Asadas and educators. Twice a year we meet and learn from invited experts on topics of interest to us. We disseminate financing opportunities for adaptation projects, which we hope will increase every day. We train those who request it on climate change, and more people are always joining the network. In this way, little by little and in a participatory way, we are awakening those who can help lead the changes we need.
At the same time, we recognize that there is so much to do and sometimes it seems overwhelming, but we want to trust in our creativity and the sum of wills. We started in 2022 and our network is growing. We dream of seeking support to finance agricultural diversification projects, strengthening local Asadas and improving the capacities of development associations to face disasters.
In the most dialectical way, the reality of climate change gives us the most hopeful vision: supportive communities, with food sovereignty, environmental awareness and resilience to disasters. People with the values that must accompany us in an uncertain future: resilience, solidarity, and generosity. Especially, people who, from their different tasks, seek to care for nature, which is what nourishes and sustains us every day. People, families, communities, we come to this land to flourish!
