As our climate systems become more erratic, clean sources of energy will become ever more precious; and scaling and diversifying sustainable ways to harness it will be key to our survival. Climate change is affecting all of us in numerous ways. From the penguins of Antarctica to corporate executives in Tokyo, everyone is feeling the effects of our shifting climate system in one way or another. Whether we accept it or not, the cumulative effects of human industrial activities are altering the atmosphere in a way that severe droughts and floods are becoming much more common; and this may only be the beginning of what’s to come. The Amazon rainforest, until recently dubbed the “lungs of the planet,” now releases more C02 than it absorbs - the result of deforestation and a rapidly changing climate. This changing landscape, on a local and global level, has led to a record-breaking drought that has expanded beyond the Amazon itself and into neighboring countries and regions - with wildfires setting parts of Venezuela ablaze and Colombia experiencing a drought so severe that water restrictions are now inevitable in major cities such as Bogotá. The mayor of Colombia’s capital, Carlos Fernando Galán, has gone as far as instructing the city’s inhabitants to “shower as a couple” because “behavioral changes are key.” But the threat goes beyond being able to take showers (either alone or together) and water lawns: Another challenge posed by the water shortages is power - especially since hydroelectricity is the country’s leading source of electricity. Isagen, a leading producer of renewable energy that also powers much of the region with its hydroelectric power plants, is also feeling the pinch in a part of the world previously considered a hydro-paradise for its abundant water resources. "Isagen and other hydroelectric generation companies have reported a noticeable decrease in water contributions during the final quarter of... |