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Effects of Climate Change on the Region
Effects of Climate Change on the Region
Increased temperatures cause intense drought, wildfires, heat exhaustion, hyperthermia, etc.
Heatwaves are the biggest cause of death by extreme weather events in the U.S. and they only increase in intensity.
2020 has the hottest heatwave in the documented history in Arizona.
The Sonoran is a particularly diverse desert, with a lot of flora and fauna that occupy a gentle ecosystem. As global temperatures rise, the balance of life is disturbed and the region loses wildlife.
Due to these dangerous effects of climate change, emigration from Central American countries is being fueled in recent years, in order to move north, into cooler and more habitable climates, putting more potential migrants in danger of crossing the terrain.
Environmental Risks of the Border Wall
Environmental Risks of the Border Wall
The creation of the wall is destructive to the landscape, cutting through the ground and leveling the terrain.
The flattening of the terrain uproots ancient plant life, some of which has inhabited the ground for centuries.
The wall acts as a dam for flooded rivers, increasing the problems of flash flooding.
Despite former President Trump's assurance that flood gates will be installed to prevent water build-up and damage, many current border wall portions do not reflect this.
As the wall is built, it is splitting the habitats of wildlife, restricting animals from resources, and reducing their chance of survival. One example of this is the Mexican Gray Wolf population, which is on the verge of extinction. The border wall will split the population and could make it impossible to rebuild numbers.
The wall acts as an interruption of animal migration patterns, disrupting the journey of animals as they travel across the desert. An example is the Sonoran Pronghorn, which can no longer complete its migration across North America with a wall in place.
The proposed border wall cuts through:
Wildlife refuges,
State parks,
Indigenous gravesites,
The National Butterfly Center,
The Coronado National Forest,
and countless endangered habitats.
Further Resources
Further Resources
Us-Mexico Border Ecology. Conservation Threats Amidst Political Turmoil -- December 2019
The Environmental Impacts of the Border Wall Between Texas and Mexico- Utexas
No Border Wall Resolutions- Biological Diversity
Trump's border wall is an ecological disaster- Vox
Trump’s border wall, vulnerable to flash floods, needs large storm gates left open for months- Washington Post
How the Climate Crisis is Affecting Arizona- Climate Reality Project
Arizona border deaths hit 10-year high after record heat- CBS
How Climate Change is driving emigration from Central America- PBS
Possible Environmental effects of Trump's Border Wall- Business Insider 2017
Border Wall Impacts on the Environment - Business Insider article 2019
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