Latin America enters era of climate extremes, report points out

The State of the Climate in Latin America and the Caribbean 2025 Report, from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), points out that extreme climate scenarios that have been occurring are accelerating the melting of Andean glaciers, which threatens the water supply of around 90 million people.

The document was presented in Brasília (DF), by the general coordinator of Research and Development at the National Center for Natural Disaster Monitoring and Alerts (Cemaden) and climatologist, José Marengo. The event took place for the first time in Brazil.

The document points out that the year 2025 was among the hottest years in history, with up to 3°C above the historical average.

Mexico had the wettest month in the country's history in June 2025, while drought reached up to 85% of the territory simultaneously. Floods in Peru and Ecuador affected more than 110,000 people.

With these high temperatures, and, consequently, the melting of glaciers, the ocean also faces changes. According to the WMO, as sea levels rise, coastal areas will be the first to feel the impact.

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Among the extreme events highlighted in the report is Hurricane Melissa, the first Category 5 to hit Jamaica since historical records began. The phenomenon caused 45 deaths and losses estimated at US$8.8 billion, a value equivalent to more than 40% of Jamaica's GDP.

Under the supervision of Manuella Dal Mas*

Source: CNN