RedLAtM is a Latin American network for youth in earth sciences, atmospheric sciences, and meteorology to promote collaborations, climate change awareness, and advocate for the inclusion of youth in high-level decision-making processes.
I work directly with Palmira Cuellar, Founder and CEO from Mexico, and Daniel Veloso, from Chile’s I Sub-regional Committee, planning the operations of the network. We have participated in local, regional, and global events, including the 2017 Colombian Air Quality and Public Health Conference (CASAP), the 2017 American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting , the 2017 United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), the 2017 and 2018 Winter Youth Assemblies at the United Nations, and the 2018 IPCC Cities Conference.
Citizen Science to understanding Climate Change; science-based evidence for decision making in Latin America
Palmira Cuellar, Maria D. Castillo.
IPCC Cities Conference, Edmonton, Canada, March 2018
Climate change is a complex field that is increasingly being studied by different areas. In Latin American cities, the exposure to pollutants as well as the amount of greenhouse gas emissions is still unknown to local governments. The knowledge on the degree of vulnerability and the risk reduction is still a challenge for all Latin American communities to clearly recognize the impacts of climate change in cities.
The scientific community needs to obtain more data to understand the dynamics of the climate in each of the cities. This information must be clear, real-time and accurate in order to conduct scientific research. In Latin America, there are not enough laboratories to measure weather and climate indices and the gap between technology and science is still large. This makes data insufficient to study climate change and extreme events in cities, which further complicates the reduction of risk and the strategy to follow to mitigate these events.
In order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, leaving no one behind and emphasizing in Goal 13. Climate Action, and Goal 11. Sustainable Cities and Communities, on the Paris Agreement, the Sendai (DRR) and NUA, the scientific community must use the resources it has available and work hand in hand with citizens to break down the gaps between the lack of information and the formulation of public policies with decision makers.
In the case of cities, citizen science is the key to obtaining new climate parameters to further develop research and knowledge about climate change, but also to create climate literacy and weather awareness in citizens to face and mitigate climate events. Citizen participation and young scientists are crucial agents of change to collaborate in research for science to reach society.
Citizens can participate in the measurement of pollutants, count emissions of greenhouse gases in their industries and homes with suitable technology and scientific verification, while also obtain meteorological data such as temperature and precipitation. We analyze different proposals of citizen participation in the main Latin American cities.
As a way of example, many Latin American cities lack reliable monitoring data. There are some international platforms, but few people about them. Here is one of my favorites:
Want to know how your city’s air is impacting you?
Visit: breathelife2030.org
Joins the discussion:
Facebook page: RedLAtM
Facebook group: RedLAtM youth
Twitter: @RedLAtM
MARIA D CASTILLO C 