RECENT climatic and environmental events warn that the world is doomed for disastrous consequences. The Philippines—who is among the countries that bear the brunt of this phenomenon—seeks adaptive measures that would strengthen livelihoods, food security and ecosystems.
In his trip to Paris, France last week, Pres. Benigno Aquino III called for significant actions to address the challenge of climate change. He urged world leaders to arrive at a “fair consensus” that would help developing countries like the Philippines squarely confront the ruinous impact of climate change.
During the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21), Aquino called for global security among heads of state and government, leaders from the private sector and civil society representatives, in addressing climate change saying every country must commit to reduce green house gas emissions and build resilient communities.
“It is imperative that all countries do everything, and maximize what can be done to address climate change. Either we all strive and sacrifice, or we all lose to the cycle of destruction and reconstruction,” Aquino said.
Aquino added that the economic costs of climate change amount to $44.9 billion annually for the Vulnerable 20 (V20) countries alone, which includes the Philippines. Inaction to this problem will cost all affected nations even more, Aquino warned, as this number is set to grow almost 10-fold by 2030, bringing the total estimated amount up to $400 billion.
Rising water levels brought by climate change threatens the existence of other island-nations such as Kiribati, Tuvalu, and the Maldives. Aquino said that the extinction of these islands would be certain, “unless we pursue realizable goals that acknowledge that, for some nations, the fight against climate change is a matter of survival.”
People must understand how the world’s current practices exhaust many of the planet’s limits—leading to risks of damaging the ecosystem that is beyond repair. About 75 percent of disasters are caused by or related to weather. The world has reached a critical stage in its efforts to exercise responsible environmental stewardship. Despite intentions and some admirable actions done by notable organizations, unsustainable use of the world’s natural resources has left the degradation of the global environment unabated.
Environmental degradation, urban development and population growth, combined with the impacts of natural calamities have increased the risks. Environmental problems caused by impacts of human activities on resources is a phenomenon commonly known as climate change.
As time goes by, the planet becomes more vulnerable. Its ability to ward off wastes and destructive effluent is growing thin. The planet has become fragile, recent catastrophic events should be enough emphasis for nations to change their ways to make this planet a safer place.
While we cannot undo the damages done, we are still capable of learning from recent climate change incidents and decelerating the rate of change to produce a desirable future for the planet altogether. (AJPress)
