The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MMA) has established a working group to coordinate federal government actions aimed at addressing the impacts of the El Niño phenomenon.
The measure was made official by an ordinance published this Monday (20), in the DOU (Official Gazette of the Union) and aims to integrate the prevention, mitigation, preparation and response initiatives developed by the ministry and its affiliated entities in the face of the possibility of a new episode of the climatic phenomenon.
The committee will be coordinated by the Executive Secretariat of the Ministry of the Environment and will bring together representatives from all national secretariats of the ministry, as well as IBAMA, the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), the Brazilian Forest Service, the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden, and other units of the ministry.
Experts and representatives from other public bodies may be invited to participate in the meetings whenever there is a need to analyze specific topics.
Work plan
Among the group's responsibilities are coordinating actions related to El Niño, monitoring the implementation of planned measures, preparing reports on their execution, and liaising with federal, state, and municipal agencies, especially the Civil House of the Presidency of the Republic.
The committee will also propose recommendations to improve prevention and response strategies and estimate the human, material, and financial resources needed to carry out priority actions.
The decree establishes that the group will have 15 days to prepare a work plan to be submitted to the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change.
Furthermore, it must submit bi-weekly reports detailing the progress of actions, results obtained, main challenges identified, and any recommendations for further deliberations. The initial duration of the working group will be eight months, with the possibility of extension.
Distinct effects in the country
The creation of the group comes amid concerns about the evolution of El Niño, a phenomenon characterized by the abnormal warming of the surface waters of the Equatorial Pacific Ocean, capable of significantly altering rainfall patterns and temperatures in various regions of the planet.
In Brazil, the impacts tend to vary depending on the region. In the South, the phenomenon usually favors above-average rainfall, increasing the risk of floods, landslides, and overflowing rivers.
In the North and much of the Northeast, the most common behavior is a reduction in rainfall, increasing the likelihood of prolonged droughts, forest fires, falling river levels, and difficulties in water supply.
In the Midwest, El Niño can cause a delay in the start of the rainy season and longer periods of heat and drought, while in the Southeast it tends to increase the irregularity of rainfall, alternating episodes of intense precipitation with intervals of dry weather and high temperatures.
Already established, the phenomenon is expected to gain strength throughout the second half of the year and, thus, impact rainfall patterns, temperatures, and energy generation behavior in the country, according to projections by Nottus, a data intelligence and meteorological consulting firm for businesses.
Responsiveness
By establishing the working group, the Ministry of the Environment (MMA) seeks to strengthen coordination among the various federal environmental agencies to accelerate the adoption of preventive measures and improve response capacity in the face of El Niño's impacts.
The expectation is that integrated action will allow for continuous monitoring of the phenomenon's evolution, earlier identification of risks, and guidance on actions aimed at reducing its effects on the population, natural resources, and economic activities.
all the content of Canal Solar is protected by copyright law, and partial or total reproduction of this site in any medium is expressly prohibited. If you are interested in collaborating or reusing part of our material, please contact us by email: redacao@canalsolar.com.br.
Comments
Comments are moderated before publication.Comments should be respectful and contribute to a healthy debate. Offensive comments may be removed. The opinions expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the author. Canal Solar.