Public Perception of Drought and Extreme Rainfall Impacts in a Changing Climate: Aconcagua Valley and Chañaral, Chile

Abstract

Droughts and extreme rainfall events are two of the hazards that affect many people in the world and are frequent and complex hazards, the rate of occurrence and magnitude of which are expected to increase in a changing climate. In this context, understanding how different actors perceive changes in climate, drought, and extreme rainfall events and their impacts is relevant in contributing to successfully implementing adaptation strategies to reduce their impacts. This research seeks to explore the main changes the climate has undergone and the impacts of drought and precipitation events, as perceived at local levels by different stakeholders. A multi-method approach was applied, including qualitative methods such as observation, 51 semi-structured interviews, and document reviews in Chañaral and the Aconcagua Valley, Chile. This research shows what the perceived changes in climate are and that drought and extreme rainfall events have affected the well-being of the local people by severely impacting the economy, the environment, social interactions, quality of life, and human health. Additionally, the perception of climate change and its impacts vary depending on the type of hazard and the social, geographical, and environmental contexts in which communities live. This study is useful as it has generated knowledge relevant to inform policy decisions, practice, and theory.