Impacts of the Major Drought in Chile and Mitigation Measures

Abstract

Since 2010, Chile has experienced a megadrought. It is the most persistent and severe climatic issue of the last millennium, affecting not only precipitation and temperature but also lakes and glaciers. This article aims to summarize the specific impacts caused by the drought in Chile and give some advice to alleviate these effects. To begin with, the study will focus on analyzing the increase in temperature, decrease in rainfall, and decline in water surface area of particular lakes. Additionally, it will delve into the effects of climate change on plant and animal species as well as human activities, including a decrease in vegetation coverage, disruption of the food chain, a substantial reduction in biodiversity, and a decline in gross domestic product (GDP). Finally, the study will also propose a range of measures to minimize these impacts from both biological and political perspectives. There are two main ways: (i) change the genes of plants to make them more adaptable to the environment; (ii) transport sea water from the Pacific Ocean and build water management plants. In the future, scientists and governments will be required to find more ways to mitigate the impacts of the megadrought and promote some measures to protect the environment. This article could provide some new ideas for improving the climate in Chile in the future.