The Dominican Republic is a beautiful country with a significant agricultural commerce. But on a recent trip I realized things have changed. My mother is from the Northwest part of the country where the river that once flowed through her town has ceased to exist due to the negative impacts of climate change. This part of the country is where many depended on some form of agriculture for survival and is now no longer a means to an end. Many in the area are seeking a different source of income on the outskirts of where my mother is from.
https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Americas/Dominican-Republic-AGRICULTURE.html
According to the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) the extreme droughts are causing significant loses for the Dominican Republic. The lack of rainfall due to the increase of high temperatures is causing the decline of the natural order of rainfall for the island. The government of the Dominican Republic in 2015 committed to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030. After joining the Climate and Clean Air (CCAC) in 2012 the country launched many initiatives to address the many challenges of climate change for the island of the Dominican Republic according to CCAC.
The situation happening in the Northwest part of the country is a huge issue and has tragically seen the death of many of the livestock, particularly cows. However, the Dominican Republic continues its effort to decrease the impact of climate change. Though it is a long battle ahead, in the next years to come, hopefully that river that was once an abundance of significant commerce can be fully restored in the natural order of our climate.
