El Niño y sus implicaciones sobre el medio ambiente.

Abstract

En este contexto, se reconoce que la prevención es prioritaria por los grandes beneficios sociales y económicos que resultan de una buena y oportuna aplicación de dichas medidas, las cuales como instrumento sustancial deben contar con la información adecuada para los organismos responsables en la toma de decisiones.

The most relevant factors in reference to the origen and development of "El Niño", are presented in a clear and simple manner, as well as its relationship to and effect on the there principal areas of the environments: the natural environment, the human environment and the natural resources. As a result of an excessive and anomalous warming of Tropical Pacific Ocean surface waters, large alterations in the natural environment are produced in the atmospheric conditions all over the world, however, the greatest repercussions of "El Niño" are observed in the human environment. In Ecuador, the effects on the different strategic areas of the human environment, have lasted far longer than the presence of the phenomena due to the multiplying character of the effects, lowering the quality of life of this inhabitants, especially in the rural zones of the affected areas. In all activities for emergency prevision and attention, it must be remembered that "El Niño" is not present, Ecuador may be affected by heavy rains due to the convective activity of the amazon basin. Among the preventive actions to be undertaken, it is proposed that special attention be placed on environmental education and on the training and the bringing up to date of the public and private sectors on environmental problems that originate from anomalous climatic conditions to minimize future effects.