‘RP government needs to do more on climate change’
Despite observations worldwide showing a significant increase in global temperature, developing countries, like the Philippines, are bearing the brunt of high costs of climate change and the majority of Filipinos seem to remain complacent about it.
Dr. Leoncio Amadore, former director of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), said unless the government takes urgent action to address climate change, socioeconomic and environmental problems, like in agriculture, food security and health, in the country would be adversely affected.
Moreover, Amadore said extreme weather events threaten to destroy the country’s rich natural resources.
While the country is very much involved in policymaking on climate change, the former Pagasa director said much still needs to be done on the national level, particularly by having more basic research on the social dimensions of climate change, like its impact on the different sectors of the society.
“Priority attention should also be given to hazard analysis, vulnerability assessment and adaptation measures. The issue of climate change should form a part of all policymakers’ concerns,” he said.
He added, however, that the Department of Science and Technology -Pagasa has also been monitoring and gathering data patterns as part of the government’s preparation to counter the effects of climate change.
“The present and future impacts of climate change on different sectors of the society, like in agriculture, hydrology, ecosystems, coastal systems and in low-lying areas, may constitute the socioeconomic dimensions of climate change. Vulnerability assessment and appropriate adaptation measures are necessary anticipatory actions to alleviate, lessen or, possibly, eliminate the future adverse impacts of climate change,” Amadore told the 76th National Research Council of the Philippines in Manila Hotel.
He said climate-change impacts have been manifested in the Philippines by increasing trends in temperature and extreme weather occurrence, such as floods, droughts, forest fires and an increase in tropical cyclones.
“The sectors and systems most vulnerable to climate change are agriculture and food security, water resources, coastal and marine resources, and health and human settlements,” he said.
Amadore also disclosed that among the extreme events the public can expect in the future include more frequent heavy precipitation events, hot extremes and heat waves; more intense tropical cyclones; storm surges that will be exacerbated by sea-level rise; and El Niño’s interannual variability will remain unchanged but drought-affected areas will likely increase in extent.
Meanwhile, Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral, in her keynote address, pointed out the importance of bringing the benefits of basic research not just to those who can afford it but also to those who cannot.
“Whatever we do as scientists must benefit not only those who can afford but also those who can’t. This is what is bringing social dimensions to basic research and science is all about,” she said.
TJ Agcaoili, The Business Mirror
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