Rio Grande do Sul (RS) is one of the Brazilian states that has been most affected by extreme weather events in recent years. Current climate models' projections converge in indicating an increasing trend in precipitation, with a consequent increase in flow in the hydrographic basins, resulting in a higher frequency of floods and inundations in southern Brazil. At the end of April and beginning of May 2024, RS was affected by one of the most severe flooding events in the world, with over 80% of the state affected, dozens of deaths, approximately 800,000 people displaced from their homes and regions, thousands homeless, and economic losses amounting to billions of reais. Several cities in the state received over 630 mm of precipitation during this period, a volume that, in some cases, exceeded almost 5 times the expected amount for the month. Extreme events like this, even of lesser intensity, have been recorded with increasing frequency, indicating that the projections of climate models are already being confirmed, much earlier than expected. Climate events characterized by positive anomalies in precipitation have profound impacts on continental aquatic environments, altering biota, morphometry, connectivity, residence time, biogeochemical cycles, material and energy flows within the watershed, input and mobilization of contaminants and pollutants, dissemination of waterborne diseases, and potential introduction of exotic species. Furthermore, there is a negative impact on the ecosystem services provided by these environments, exacerbating the impacts caused. An emblematic example is the destruction of managed aquatic ecosystems, such as rice paddies, which contributes to the country's food insecurity. The scenario of global climate change projections places several regions of the world, including RS, in a state of climate emergency, where actions to reduce and mitigate the consequences are urgent and necessary. In this sense, it is essential to understand the regional projections of extreme weather events, assess their consequences on continental aquatic environments, and think about damage reduction strategies. Through science, it is possible to produce qualified knowledge to support public policies to be adopted by decision-makers. It is in this context that Acta Limnologica Brasiliensia invites researchers from RS and external researchers to submit papers for publication in the special edition:
Climate Emergency in Rio Grande do Sul: impacts, projections and mitigation actions.
Themes:
Accepted Formats:
Editors:
Guilherme Garcia de Oliveira – Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)
Leonardo Maltchick – Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG)
Lúcia Helena Ribeiro Rodrigues – Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)
Ng Haig They – Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)
Submission Deadline:
November 1st, 2024.
Extended to February 28, 2025.
Publication Fee:
Acta Limnologia Brasiliensia is a Brazilian open-access journal published by the Brazilian Limnology Association (ABLimno) via the SciELO platform. There is, therefore, no publication fee.
Submission:
Manuscripts are submitted via the submission platform available at: https://submission.scielo.br/index.php/alb/login. Information on how to prepare manuscripts can be found on the official website (https://www.actalb.org/instructions).