The President Gustav Petroduring his visit to Santa Lucía, in Atlántico, stated that the country should promptly evaluate and discuss whether to declare an economic emergency in order to face and mitigate the risks caused by the climate crisis and the increase in rainfall in the next three months.
(Read: Gustavo Petro’s requests to the chambers of commerce).
The president showed his concern about the approaching winter and made a resounding call to discuss measures to prevent the risks that could be caused by heavy rains.
“Of course I’ve thought about it. Isn’t it time for an emergency? The congressmen will be able to give their opinion; the media at the national level, society as a whole; but if we are going to experience a worse episode than 2010, in terms of climate, then the country necessarily has to enter into an economic emergencyPetro said.
He also insisted that the country is coming out of the emergency due to covid-19 to now face the winter. “That is the drama of contemporary governments. We live the covid, an emergency was issued. The covid left what he left and we haven’t just left —because the virus is out there— and we’ve already entered another climatic type. Both have the same origin, and side by side, through science, the ultimate origin is that we are throwing more and more gases derived from coal and oil into the atmosphere”, he stressed.
It should be remembered that this week the Government presented weather prediction along with the maps of critical points and preventive measures that would be taken in the country before the second rainy season that begins in September. Forecasts indicate that they will be combined with the La Niña phenomenon and the second hurricane season.
Climate change
RAÚL SANCHIDRIAN / EFE
In accordance with Susana Muhammad, Minister of the Environment, Yolanda González, Director of Ideam; and Javier Pava, director of the Ungrd, an informative and educational campaign is currently being carried out in the country among various entities. The objective is to prepare for the challenges for the country of increased rainfall.
(Also: How would the change that Petro would make to the calculation of the energy rate).
The campaign is called ‘In the play with the rain’.
The Caribbean and Andean regions They will be the ones that will register the greatest amount of rainfall, according to the director of Ideam, Yolanda González. In these areas it is necessary to pay special attention to extreme events in which it will rain in a couple of hours the amount of millimeters of water that normally falls in a week or several days.
Finally, Petro announced that scientists have confirmed that Colombia will be one of the first places to suffer from the climate crisis and weather conditions will become more and more acute.
“One of those changes that corresponds to us is called adaptation to climate change. How do we organize ourselves so that it does not harm us? That is the tena that summons us,” said the president.
(Keep reading: Government bets on agriculture with increased production).
He also proposed making a risk map “and no one can live on that map.” They have to relocate to live better. Along with this, he proposed the voluntary relocation of the affected population.
BRIEFCASE
