Climate Change and the Resiliency of Filipinos

November 20, 2024

Facing the Storm of Climate Change

Climate change is real and makes life hard for most Filipinos. First of all, there's

this "greenhouse effect," whereby gases such as carbon dioxide trap heat from the sun, thus warming up the earth. These gases are emitted through our burning of fossil fuels, primarily oil and coal - for energy as well as due to the chopping of trees and some farming patterns. This trapped heat upsets weather patterns, hence bringing more extreme and unpredictable changes to the weather. To Filipinos, it brings typhoons striking without warning and more powerful than ever; floods with rains that weigh much heavier and take away homes and lives; and droughts that are longer, harsher, drier, parching the lands and driving crops away. These have made it even worse for people and the environment to grow food, obtain clean water, or protect their homes and livelihoods. This climate has increased the frequency and intensity of these threats, straining available resources and infrastructure, thus placing a heavy strain on the economy and triggering displacement and negative impacts.

Warming has brought warming into the oceans. Stronger storms in the oceans are fed by warmer ocean waters, also contributing to the rising sea level. This would threaten coastal communities in the Philippines, which provide livelihood directly to many people. Rising sea levels at a steady rate can displace people and force loss of homes and land. Saltwater intrusion into freshwater sources contaminates drinking water and hurts agriculture. Besides damaging fisheries and fish farms, warmer oceans damage coral reefs- much of a lifeline for the fishing industry and serve as natural barriers to storms.

The impact the damage causes to the fish population and the resilience of these coastals defenses makes affected communities more vulnerable to the impacts of storms and erosion. Loss of biodiversity within the ecosystems also impacts the overall well-being and resilience of the marine environment.

Lastly, land use practices apply. The fewer the number of trees found there, the more carbon dioxide absorbed, which leads to the greenhouse effect. Un-sustainable farming techniques would lead to problems in the fertility of soils and increase the potential for erosion. Overgrazing could cause desertification and land degradation. All these factors, in conjunction with the changes that come about because of climate alteration, make the Philippines vulnerable. These all are inter-linked issues, and a holistic approach needs to be adopted in order to weather the change and build resilience from it.

Building resilience encompasses several components. Some of these include; decreases in greenhouse gas emissions that can result from a shift towards renewable sources of energy and higher levels of sustainable land management practices. This further includes investment in climate-resilient infrastructure like flood defenses or drought-resistant crops. Reinforcement of early warning systems for extreme weather may facilitate preparation and evacuation of communities. The education and training programs may also empower the communities to enhance their capacity for recovery and adaptation to the impacts of climate change. A sustainable livelihood with diversified sources of income may be a tool that could be used to mitigate the economic shocks to be brought by climate-related disasters. All the stakeholders would certainly have to put in much effort to make this come about for the long-term benefits in the welfare of Filipinos in this fight to address impacts on climate change and to create greater sustainable developments.