Experts have released the regional State of the Climate report, detailing how rising sea levels and an increase in extreme weather events are impacting Latin America and the Caribbean. The report highlights that temperatures across the region remain significantly above average.
The findings indicate that climate shocks are increasingly disrupting food production, straining healthcare systems, and threatening access to clean water due to more severe and frequent extreme weather.
Threat to Life and Health
In 2025, intense heatwaves pushed temperatures above 40°C in large parts of the region. Mexico recorded a record-breaking 52.7°C, while Brazil and Paraguay also experienced temperatures exceeding 44°C. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has identified extreme heat as a major public health concern, particularly for vulnerable populations lacking access to healthcare, cooling, and reliable electricity. While many countries do not consistently track heat-related fatalities, the report estimates approximately 13,000 deaths annually from heat-related causes across 17 countries between 2012 and 2021.
Deepening Food Insecurity
Increasingly extreme rainfall patterns are exacerbating humanitarian conditions throughout the region, with communities enduring cycles of devastating floods and prolonged droughts. In 2025, over 110,000 people were affected by flooding in Peru and Ecuador. In Mexico, floods resulted in 83 fatalities, extensive infrastructure damage, and landslides. Concurrently, severe drought impacted up to 85 percent of Mexico, leading to significant water shortages for crops and reservoirs, despite the country experiencing its wettest June on record. Water scarcity was also reported across the Caribbean, while drought conditions in southern South America led to increased agricultural losses and wildfire risks. The WMO warns that escalating climate extremes are placing mounting pressure on agricultural production and food processing systems, jeopardizing livelihoods, food access, and rural communities.
Glacier Melt Threatens Water Supply
Rapid glacier retreat in the Andes is also raising concerns about future water security. Andean glaciers are a vital freshwater source for nearly 90 million people, supporting drinking water, agriculture, hydropower, and industry. However, glaciers across Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, and Argentina are melting at an accelerated pace, increasing the risk of both flooding and long-term water shortages. WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo stated, “The signs of a changing climate are unmistakable across Latin America and the Caribbean,” citing accelerating glacier loss, rising sea levels, tropical cyclones, floods, and drought. She emphasized that the State of the Climate in Latin America and the Caribbean 2025 report serves as a “call to action” for strengthening observations, investing in services, closing early warning gaps, and ensuring climate information reaches those most in need.
Hurricanes and Rising Seas
The report also highlighted the escalating danger from rapidly intensifying storms. Hurricane Melissa, in October 2025, became the first Category 5 hurricane on record to make landfall in Jamaica, causing 45 deaths and economic losses equivalent to over 41 percent of the country’s GDP. Simultaneously, rising sea levels and warming oceans are amplifying risks for coastal communities, fisheries, and marine ecosystems along the Caribbean and Atlantic coasts. Sea levels in certain areas of the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean are rising faster than the global average. WMO officials cautioned that without urgent investment in climate adaptation, disaster preparedness, and early warning systems, humanitarian needs across the region are expected to worsen.
