Buenos Aires, Argentina and climate change: impacts, threats and opportunities

CAMILLONI, INÉS

Edmonton

Conferencia; IPCC Cities and Climate Change Science Conference; 2018

IPCC

Argentina is a hyper-urbanized country with more than 90% of its population living in urban agglomerations. The Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires, with a total population that exceeds 12 million, counts as one of the Latin American megacities and is home of nearly 32% of the country population. The increasing demand for housing, and social and health care services together with the local impacts of climate change, heighten the pressure on the already restricted urban infrastructure deepening risks and vulnerability. Since the 1960s, Buenos Aires? average temperature has increased approximately 1C while the increment of annual rainfall exceeds 30%. In the same period, local impacts of climate change include increase frequency of storm surges, heat waves and intense rain showers. Storm surges not only are more frequent but exhibit a significant increase in duration. Extreme rainfall events defined as those in which it rains more than 30 millimeters in 30 minutes, almost triple their occurrence. Moreover, heat waves last longer although an increase in severity is not evident. Future scenarios show that the potential exposure of Buenos Aires? population to heavy rains and extreme temperatures exacerbated by the urban heat island effect are likely to be the most relevant climate threats. This study provides an overview of the impacts of climate change on the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires highlighting threats, opportunities and needed responses in the context of existing policies and strategies.