CHANGE

CHANGE

CLIMATE

CLIMATE

Sept 27, 2009 - Mindoro Occidental

Climate Change: our changing world

What is climate change?

Climate change is a “change in climate which is attributed directly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods.”

• (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change [UNFCCC]

What causes

climate change?

Climate change is caused by both

natural events and human activities

Climate change is caused by both

natural events and human activities

Human activities can also cause climate

change

Scientists now agree that most of the global warming today have been caused by human activities

Human activities that lead to the increase in concentration of

greenhouse gasses include:

Burning of fossil fuelDeforestation Increasing industrial activityMotor vehicle emission Improper waste management

practices Intensive agriculture

Examples of ordinary human activities that send greenhouse

gases into the air?

• Watching television• Driving a car• Playing video game• Listening to stereo• Using washing machine• Using microwave oven

To be able to understand climate change is to understand first the

concept of the

‘greenhouse effect’.

What are

and how is it related to

climate change?

• People, plants and animals need heat from the sun in order to survive. However, as global population grows, more and more people contribute to the increase of gases that get trapped into the atmosphere. These trapped gases are called greenhouse gases (GHGs)

GREENHOUSE GASES

Greenhouse gases

So GHGs act much like a

blanket to keep us warm

GREENHOUSE GASES

PFCs

HFCs

SF6

Greenhouse gases (GHGs) trap heat from the sun to keep the Earth warm.

H2O

Water vapor

CO2

Carbon Dioxide

CH4

Methane

NO2

Nitrous Oxide

CO2

CH4

N2OHFCs

PFCs SF6

CO2 CO2

CH4CO2N2OCH4

HFCs

SF6SF6

CO2 CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2CO2 CO2

CH4

N2O

Increasing levels of GHGs in the atmosphere make for a warmer world leading to abrupt changes in climate!

The Greenhouse Effect

As earth’s temperature gets warmer, this causes problems for humans, plants and animals

Global WarmingGlobal Warming

Source: 1994 Philippine GHG Inventory

TOTAL: 103,085 TOTAL: 103,085 kt COkt CO22

(50,038 kt CO2)(9,198 kt CO2)

(33,137 kt CO2) (10,711 kt CO2)

GHG Sources in Phil.

What’s it all about?

To summarize…

World has gotten warmer.

It will continue to get hotter in this century and beyond.

We are causing this dangerous trend.

Climate and Weather

Is there any difference??Is there any difference??

Weather Climate Average pattern of

weather in a particular period, in a particular region or area.

Usually predictable as cycle stays the same for tens, hundreds, or even a thousand years.

Daily conditions, including temperature and rainfall

Can change very rapidly from day to day, and from year to year

Change in weather condition is a usual occurrence.

Are there signs that the effects of global warming is

actually occurring in the Philippines?

KLIMA

Climate Change in the Philippines

El Niño - La Niña Vulnerability Map

Dry seasons becoming drier

Wet seasons becoming wetter

More precipitation

from increased

evaporation due to

higher temp

Annual mean precipitation expected to increase about 14% in East Asia – but this is not distributed evenly in the region

KLIMA

Climate Change in the Philippines

Frequency and severity of typhoons

Risk: Climate Change (Rainfall)

• Inundate

wetlands and other low lying lands

• Erode beaches

• Intensify flooding

• Increase the salinity of rivers, bays and groundwater tables

Rising Sea

Levels

Developing countries,will be hit soonest

and hardest.

Adaptation provides the way to prepare for

and respond to these impacts.

This is the challenge

we face.

SALTWATERINTRUSION

2003

What are the impacts of Climate Change?

Climate Change Impacts

CORAL BLEACHING

& DEATH

• 1995 & 1998 coral bleaching events

World Wildlife Fund. Climate Change Scenarios for the Philippines

• June-Nov 1998 coral bleaching led to 46% decreasein coral cover and about 49% of overall coral death in the area

• Increase in sea surface temperatures of

Bolinao, Kalayaan Island Group, NW Palawan)

Arceo, et. al. Coral Bleaching in the Philippines. Disturbing Climate. 2001

about 0.50C can already initiate

coral bleaching

(e.g., Tubbataha Reef Marine Park,

Licuanan et al., 2001

KLIMA

Climate Change in the Philippines

Coral bleaching

KLIMA

Impacts of Climate Change on human health

We Cardiovascular and respiratory disorders

Increase incidence of dengue fever, malaria and other water and air-borne diseases

Skin and eye disorders

Cancers

Weather related deaths

KLIMA

Impacts on agriculture and food security

We Wider range of weeds, insects and crop diseases.

Reduced food supplies

Higher food production cost and increased prices

Decreased rice yield

Decreased marine fisheries yield

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Impacts on biological diversity and ecosystems

We Species extinctions, decline in biological diversity and changes in the way species interact with one another

Changes in weather patterns alter ocean circulation and wave patterns affecting productivity, nutrient availability and marine ecological functions

Sea level rise – increase flooding, saltwater intrusion affecting coastal agriculture, freshwater resources and fisheries

Decreased rainfall – decreased water supply for irrigation, drought and livestock losses, decreased harvest

What can we do to lessen the release of GHGs into

the atmosphere?

KLIMA

Green Acts

Switch to energy efficient lamp

When buying appliances, get those with high energy efficiency rating

Regularly clean your cooling appliance such as electric fan and filters of air conditioning unit

KLIMA

Green Acts

We Use water efficiently. Immediately repair pipes and faucets with leaks. Water plants very early in the morning or late at night

Use electricity efficiently. Turn off electrical appliances when not in use. Replace old appliances that do not work properly

KLIMA

Green Acts

Buy locally-produced organic products. These do not contain chemicals that harm the environment

Plant trees. Trees are natural air purifiers as they absorb carbon dioxide in the air

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Green Acts

We Whenever possible, walk or

ride a bicycle instead of using a car

Reduce, reuse and recycle. You send less trash and help save resources like trees, oil, aluminum and others

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Green Acts

We

Join community activities that promote environmental awareness such as coastal clean-up

What are the government efforts to address the

challenges posed by the negative impacts of

climate change?

Republic Act 9729 or the Climate Change Act of 2009

Signed into law on October 23, 2009 Mainstreams climate change into

government policy formulation Establishes framework strategy and

program on climate change. Creates the Philippine Climate

Change Commission

KLIMA

Government Response

We Philippine government is doing its best to adapt and

mitigate the impacts of climate change

Steps are being taken to let the Filipinos become aware of climate change and its negative impacts

The Philippine Climate Change Commission has been established to oversee programs and projects directed towards:

• Improving disaster risk reduction

• Knowledge management

• Adaptation and mitigation

CONCLUSION

• Business as usual is NOT AN OPTION!

• Unless action is taken now:- the standard of living will suffer far worse

consequences- poverty will be exacerbated

- there will be more damage to property & lives- decades of growth can be wiped out - man’s very survival is at great risk!

CONCLUSION

• Climate change action will require concerted effort of governments & their partners (PRIVATE SECTOR. NGOs, communities, development partners, and MEDIA) to manage and adopt to a changing & more invasive environment

SHARED RESPONSIBILITY

SHARED RESPONSIBILITY

Under the framework of SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

1. Reduce carbon (mitigation)

2. Reduce risk (adaptation)

Thank you.