In recent years, unprecedented forest fires have devastated various regions of the world affecting ecosystem services. This includes Australia in 2019-2020, Canada in 2023, and more recently Brazil, other countries in South America, and California in the United States.
In Brazil, fires in the Amazon and Pantanal destroyed over 20 million hectares in 2024, while at least 4 million hectares burned in Bolivia.
Climate change, by making atmospheric conditions warmer and drier, increases the risk of fires, causing tragic loss of life, high economic damages, and a massive loss of biodiversity, with the destruction of countless species.
There is no scientific evidence to suggest that the trend of climate change will reverse in the coming years. On the contrary, it is likely to continue, causing water and food scarcity, the disappearance of native forests, reduced crop pollination due to bee decline, and fewer natural spaces to enjoy.
In summary, the acceleration of climate change and the resulting fires are having a huge impact on biodiversity loss and are rapidly diminishing ecosystem services, such as regulating the quantity and quality of freshwater, essential for human well-being.
Consequences of Climate Change and Nature-Based Solutions
Ecosystem services, which are the benefits nature provides to people, depend on conservation, sustainable use, and nature restoration. A future with declining ecosystem services is a future of lower quality of life and greater inequality, with food, energy, and water scarcity as the norm.
Vulnerable populations in both rural and urban areas will disproportionately suffer the impacts of ecosystem services loss. In a few decades, climate change is expected to be the main driver of biodiversity and ecosystem services loss, leading to climate injustice.
Climate change-intensified natural disasters, such as hurricanes and floods in Latin America and the Caribbean, have tripled in the last 50 years. These disasters can reduce GDP by up to 0.9% in low-income countries in the region, and up to 3.6% in the Caribbean. Additionally, climate change will drive the migration of 17 million people by 2050.
Reducing consumerism and fossil fuel use is crucial, but nature-based solutions are one of the best global strategies against climate change.
These solutions use nature and its processes to address environmental problems, such as forest restoration or protection to obtain clean water or absorb carbon. These initiatives can improve the environment and benefit people, making communities more healthy and resilient.
An example of a nature-based solution is the Water Conservation Project – Extrema in the Brazilian municipality of Extrema. Considered a successful model of Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES), this project compensates local farmers and landowners for conserving and restoring forest areas that protect water sources.
Since 2005, it has increased water availability for surrounding urban areas, including the metropolitan area of São Paulo, and has restored over 5,000 hectares of forest, protecting biodiversity.
Located in Minas Gerais, the municipality of Extrema prioritizes water conservation in the Piracicaba, Capivari, and Jundiaí (PCJ) river basins. The project offers financial incentives to rural landowners to restore degraded areas, protect springs, and adopt sustainable practices. It has benefited over 2,500 families, improved agricultural conditions, and ecosystem services, such as water filtration and drought resistance.
Similar Initiatives Worldwide
Key actions of the project include planting over 80 species of native trees, rainwater harvesting, erosion control, sustainable agriculture, and the use of satellite imagery to ensure environmental goals. The initiative is based on municipal leadership and community participation, integrating advanced technologies for efficient resource management.
The Extrema project shares similarities with other PES initiatives worldwide. For example, Costa Rica’s PES compensates landowners for reforestation and water protection, while Ecuador’s Water Fund finances conservation projects in the Andes to protect urban water sources.
In China, the Sloping Land Conversion Program compensates farmers for converting degraded lands into forests to combat erosion and improve water retention.
The Extrema Water Conservation Project demonstrates how localized, community-centered efforts can address the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and water scarcity. Scaling up these initiatives globally can improve resilience to extreme weather events, conserve ecosystems, and promote equitable access to resources.
We request your support for policies that replicate solutions like Extrema, ensuring more sustainable practices in the community, such as restoring native vegetation, recycling and composting programs, and rainwater harvesting. Sharing success stories can inspire collective action for a sustainable future.
Authors: Carlos A. Joly-Cristiana S. Seixas /Latinoamérica21
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