The presence and influence of the Andes, the most important mountain range in the Southern Hemisphere, creates a large variety of climatic and environmental conditions in the Andean countries of South America, not only in the mountainous zones but also in its slopes and surrounding areas. Andean countries share distinctive climate, environmental and cultural characteristics that have led the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to recognize them as particularly vulnerable to climate change.
ENANDES+ will support six of seven Andean countries in their climate adaptation and resilience efforts, scale up the ENANDES project, currently being implemented by WMO through the Adaptation Fund. With The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)contribution adding Argentina, Bolivia and Ecuador to the three original ENANDES countries, Chile, Colombia and Peru. The project will also involve all WMO regional institutions in South America, including the Regional Climate Centres for South and West of South America, and the Regional Training Centres in Peru and Argentina.
In Argentina and Bolivia, an early warning system for flash flood warnings in the binational area of the Pilcomayo River Basin will be developed, allowing for a unique transnational approach to improve climate resilience and adaptation in the region. In Ecuador, the National Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (INAMHI) will work in the upper Pastaza River basin to produce frost warnings for small-scale family farms, and hydrometeorological forecasts to support the management of hydroelectric power plants. In Peru, the National Meteorological and Hydrological Service will work with MeteoSwiss and WMO regional centres to ensure technical knowledge is available and equally distributed amongst project stakeholders.