Rising temperatures in Armenia may lead to water shortages and food problems
YEREVAN, November 28. /ARKA/. The average temperatures in Armenia may go up by 5.5 degrees Celsius threatening agriculture, water resources and food security, Deputy Minister of Environment Gayane Gabrielyan told a press conference on Monday.
"In Armenia, the average temperature has risen over the past 30 years. This means that not enough snow falls during winter. We have witnessed this by ourselves. Just 10-15 years ago there was so much snow in Yerevan that it created a stable snowpack. Today we have snowless winters," she said.
The Deputy Minister mentioned that dry winter weather negatively influences the environment: snow melts fast, which leads to problems with accumulation of water in reservoirs and later to irrigation problems, to landslips, which damage the infrastructure. All of this adds up to financial damage sustained by communities and the government, while agriculture and sustainable food security suffer.
UNDP climate change program coordinator in Armenia Diane Harutyunyan added that as temperatures rise, demand for water increases while supply decreases because of decreased precipitation. According to her, precipitation has declined by about 14 percent since 1936 to this day.
"It's not the decrease itself that's important, but the disruptions in seasonal and regional distribution," she stressed.
Also, affected by climate change is agriculture, which is damaged not only by lack of water, but also by temperature shocks.
Rising temperatures can also lead to aggravation of epidemiological situation, the spread of viruses not typical of Armenia, increasing risk for people with cardiovascular diseases. Abnormal heat leads to greater energy consumption.
Gabrielyan said that the Loss and Damage fund established at the 27th UN Climate Change Conference in Egypt is to support the most vulnerable countries and severely impacted middle-income countries, which can apply for aid. She said Armenia has an opportunity to become a member of the Board of Directors of the Fund and apply for financial support. -0-
