Introduction to Nicaragua

The largest country in Central America, Nicaragua has a population of 6.9 million people1 , of which 40% is rural.2 Nicaragua experiences a tropical rainforest climate in the east, a tropical monsoon climate in the central regions, and a tropical savanna climate in the west of the country.3 With an extensive coastline along the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east, Nicaragua faces severe threats from hurricanes and floods. The agriculture sector, employing 29% of the working population4 and contributing 16.8% to the country's GDP5 , is at risk due to the worsening impacts of climate change. The Bosawas Reserve in Nicaragua is the second largest rainforest in the Americas after the Amazon, but the country has lost more than half its rainforest cover between 1983 and 2015.6 Beef, gold and coffee are three of the top five exports of Nicaragua and account for about 33% of the country’s export revenue.7 With the complicity of Global North corporations invested in these products, illegal land grabbing, extensive livestock farming, logging and mining have resulted in extreme violence against Nicaragua’s Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities.8 Nicaragua's vulnerability to the climate crisis is exacerbated by these neocolonial extractive and export-oriented industries, posing a significant threat to vulnerable communities already at-risk due to unchecked exploitation of the country’s natural resources

Mapping Major Climate Events and Climate-Induced Displacement

Nicaragua is highly vulnerable to climate disasters, ranking 49 out of 180 countries in the Global Climate Risk Index 2021.9 The major climate hazards experienced by the coastal nation are floods, storms and epidemics which account for over 72 percent of the average annual hazard occurrence for 1980-2020.10 Between 1980 and 2000, the country experienced 3 years of flood with the number increasing to 10 between 2001 and 2020.  Between 2008 and 2022, 41 disaster events were reported in Nicaragua, amongst which floods displaced 139,000 people and storms displaced a staggering 438,000 people.11 Within the span of two weeks in November of 2020, two devastating hurricanes struck Nicaragua and made landfall within 15 miles of each other.12 As a category 4 hurricane, Hurricane Eta triggered landslides and floods which displaced thousands of people and caused dozens of fatalities.13 Only two weeks later, Hurricane Iota exacerbated the situation in the already affected areas and spread its devastating impact to other regions in Nicaragua and neighboring countries in Central America.14 Both Hurricane Eta and Hurricane Iota broke records as the third and second strongest storms ever recorded in the Atlantic.15

Mapping the Costs of the Climate Crisis

The GDP of Nicaragua is US$ 15.67 billion16 , with more than 24 percent of its population living below the national poverty line.17 A rise of 1 °C in average temperature is expected to decrease Nicaragua's GDP growth by 1.3%.18 In October, Hurricane Julia struck Nicaragua’s Caribbean Coast, marking the fourth major natural disaster to strike the country between 2020 and 2022.19 The hurricane had a particularly severe impact on Indigenous communities residing in highly vulnerable regions, where poverty rates reach a staggering 40 percent.20 The situation was further aggravated by the region's susceptibility to extreme climate variability and the upsurge in food and agricultural input prices. Hurricane Julia left a trail of devastation as it tore through Nicaragua, inflicting damages amounting to 400 million U.S. dollars.21 In addition to the 5 fatalities, the hurricane caused extensive disruptions to the region's infrastructure, leaving more than 1 million people without access to power.22 Food insecurity, closely linked with poverty, climate change, and natural disasters, is a pressing concern in Nicaragua with about 14 percent of children between 6 to 59 months suffering from chronic malnutrition.23 In conjunction with  climate impacts, and beyond economic costs alone, Nicaragua's Indigenous and Afro-descendent communities also face  massacres perpetrated by settlers who illegally seize land for various exploitative activities, including mining, logging, and cattle ranching.24

Mapping Resilience and Mitigation Pathways

Nicaragua, constituting 0.09 percent of the world's population, is responsible for 0.01 percent of the global cumulative carbon dioxide emission.25 In its NDC, Nicaragua pledged to take action to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change by signing the Paris Agreement, with the aim of reducing 10% of its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 under the Business As Usual (BAU) scenario. To achieve this reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, Nicaragua emphasized mitigation efforts in key sectors, including energy, industry, and land-use change.26 In the Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sector, Nicaragua has made a conditional commitment of increasing its carbon absorption capacity by 25% by 2030.27 The adaptation measures highlighted in Nicaragua’s NDC include the modernization of hydrometeorological services, the construction of drainage systems in vulnerable cities, the promotion of water collection and irrigation systems in the dry corridor, and the protection of biosphere reserves through reforestation efforts.27 The government’s commitment to these efforts remains uneven and uncertain as it actively supports unlawful land acquisitions and concessions to extractive industries within indigenous lands.28 On the other hand, Nicaragua's indigenous communities over the past few decades have demonstrated relentless dedication and perseverance in their efforts to secure the recognition of their rights to land and resources.29 As a result of their advocacy, a significant milestone has been achieved, with 49% of the country's forests now officially recognized as community-owned territories with deforestation 14 times lower than settler-occupied lands.30

Necessary Changes

Despite contributing minimally to global cumulative greenhouse gas emissions, Nicaragua stands as a stark example of the disproportionate burden faced by developing countries in addressing the consequences of climate change. Now, more than ever, it is imperative for the international community to rally behind Nicaragua’s vulnerable people and support a just transition that encompasses its underserved, low-income, Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities. These communities in Nicaragua continue to face extreme levels of danger, exemplified by the massacre of at least five Indigenous Mayangna individuals in the community of Wilú, Mayangna Sauni As Territory in March 2023.31 The complicity of corporations from the Global North in these injustices further highlights the complex web of global economic dynamics and the need for greater accountability and responsibility in business practices. Addressing this issue requires multi-faceted action, involving not only the accountability of corporations but also the empowerment and protection of indigenous and Afro-descendant communities. The international community must advocate for stronger regulations and mechanisms that hold corporations accountable for their actions abroad and ensure that their operations respect human rights and local communities' rights to land and resources. Additionally, Nicaragua's government must shift away from its extractivist model of development and adopt a more sustainable, regenerative, and inclusive economic approach. By promoting environmentally conscious policies and investing in nature-based solutions, Nicaragua can pave the way for a thriving economy that benefits all segments of society while preserving its natural resources for future generations.