Flickering Lights: Chronicles of Climate Reality in the Andes
Two months ago, I entered a reality I never imagined we will have to face again: enduring daily power cuts lasting 8 to 14 hours. Each evening, as the lights went out and the steady hum of appliances ceased, I was faced with a stark reality—the once abundant resources we took for granted were dwindling. Far from mere inconvenience, this was a dire wake-up call, even here in the Andes, where water is the lifeblood of the region. Throughout my years working with organizations like Rare and Birdlife International across Andean nations, I was enchanted by the region’s natural bounty. Majestic glaciers nourished rivers that carved through expansive valleys, supporting agriculture and powering hydroelectric plants. The local communities, confident in this seemingly inexhaustible water supply, often dismissed any concerns of potential shortages. Yet today, their certainty is shaken. In Ecuador, where I currently reside, a severe drought—the worst in over six decades—has crippled the nation’s ...