Honduras is a country in Central America, bordered by the Caribbean to the east and the Pacific to the west. The climate is hot and tropical in the coastal lowlands and more temperate in the highlands. Forest takes up 41 percent of the country’s land area, while 27 percent is used for agriculture (World Bank Group, 2021). Approximately 82 percent of the territory is mountainous (ibid.). About 50 percent of the population lives in rural areas – 65 percent of whom live in poverty – and rely on rainfed agriculture (World Bank Group, 2023). Honduras is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change due to its significant exposure to hazards such as hurricanes, drought, tropical storms, floods) (ibid.). 

Temperatures are projected to increase by 1-2.5°C by 2050, while extreme rainfall and flooding are expected to become more frequent, alongside overall reductions in rainfall and an increase in droughts (GRID Geneva, n.d.). These changes are likely to negatively affect hydropower production, which currently generates nearly 40 percent of the country’s energy, as well as freshwater availability and quality, particularly in the Dry Corridor (ibid.). Climactic change is also expected to increase the spread of vector- and water-borne diseases, worsen food insecurity, and lead to greater crop losses due to drought and disease. As temperatures rise, coffee, the country’s main agricultural export, may need to be cultivated at higher elevations, increasing pressure on land and accelerating degradation (ibid.). Combined with mining, deforestation, and agro-industry, climate impacts have severely threatened livelihoods and human rights, contributing to displacement and migration among poorer communities  (UN, 2023). 

Honduras Climate Change National Office (DNCC) is responsible for coordinating national adaptation efforts. According to GRID Geneva (n.d.) Honduras has made progress in establishing a policy and regulatory framework to address climate change, although many measures have yet to be fully implemented.