Recent Panama Canal Drought Caused by El Niño, Not Global Warming

A recent international study has concluded that the ♠ recent drought in the Panama Canal was driven by below-normal rainfall associated with the natural climate cycle El Niño, and ♠ not by global warming.

Impact of Low Rainfall

The drought caused low reservoir levels that slowed cargo traffic ♠ in the canal for most of the past year, leading to expensive headaches for shipping companies worldwide. However, only in ♠ recent months have crossings started to pick up again.

Future Water Scarcity

As Panama's population grows and seaborne ♠ trade expands, water demand is expected to be a much larger share of available supply by 2050, according to the ♠ government. That means future El Niño years could bring even wider disruptions, not just to global shipping, but also to ♠ water supplies for local residents.

Research Findings

The research team found that scant rain, not high temperatures, was ♠ the main reason for low water in the canal's reservoirs. The scientists couldn't find a solid link between human-induced climate ♠ change and the minor drying trend or future trends. They did, however, find a clear link between El Niño and ♠ below-average rainfall in the area.