Climate Change, Environment

World Bank provides grant to mitigate glacial melting in Peru

The World Bank approved a $450,000 grant to the Peruvian government to compliment a project aimed at mitigating the negative effects of climate change on Andean ecosystems and the retreat of tropical glaciers.

The World Bank said in a press release on Tuesday the funds will be used to strengthen local ecosystems and economies by developing a scientific baseline for high mountain ecosystems and creating definitions for guidelines to support integrated and sustainable adaptation measures in those ecosystems.

“Climate change represents a worldwide challenge and the Bank is conscious of this state of affairs,” said Felipe Jaramillo, the World Bank’s regional director for Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. “We have decided to support this financing, as these areas perform a crucial role in water regulation and availability, and we only recently found out that they are especially prone to the effects of climate change.”

The grant will reportedly complement the Adaptation to the Impact of Accelerated Glacial Retreat in the Tropical Andes project, or PRAA, financed by the Global Environment Facility and implemented by the Andean Community of Nations in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru.

According to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 4th Assessment Report, 22 percent of Peru’s glacial area has disappeared over the past 35 years. The report predicts that over the next decades Andean inter-tropical glaciers will likely disappear, affecting freshwater availability for Peru’s arid coastal zone where more than half of the people live, and hydropower generation.

One Comment

  1. $450,000 wow!

    Please Please tell me what EXACTLY the government will do with this?
    I fully understand that glaciers are retreating, but by spending this money how will that be stopped.
    I have googled the PRAA, & looked up just what their plans are & apart from “MONITORING” I see nothing substantial.

    I hope someone can explain who get the the money, & what its to be spent on, as I see it a huge farce.

    Dave

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