Climate
change has been a constant reality for many Filipinos, with impacts ranging
from extreme weather events to periodic droughts and food scarcity. The most
affected populations are coastal residents and rural communities that lack
proper disaster preparedness.
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According
to the Center for Global Development, the Philippines is the world’s fourth
most vulnerable country to the direct impacts of extreme weather events.
Averaging 20 tropical cyclones a year, it may be the world’s most storm-exposed
nation. Last November, Supertyphoon Haiyan, the most intense tropical cyclone
ever recorded, claimed more than 10,000 lives, affected over 9 million people,
and left over 600,000 Filipinos homeless. With both the oceans and the
atmosphere warming, there is broad scientific consensus that typhoon are now
increasing in strength.
Like
most developing countries, the Philippines plays a minor role in global carbon
emissions yet suffers an inordinately higher cost. With over a third of its
population living in poverty, the country emits just 0.9 metric tons of carbon
per capita, compared to the United States’ 17.6 metric tons. “We lose 5% of our
economy every year to storms,” observes Philippine Climate Change Commissioner
Naderev Sano. The reconstruction costs of Haiyan alone are estimated at $5.8
billion.
As the
Philippines embarks on a long road to recovery, sustainability is key for post-Haiyan
rebuilding. “We must build back better and more resilient communities,” says
Senator Loren Legarda, chair of the Philippines’ Senate Committee on Climate
Change, who was named a Regional Champion by the United Nations Office for
Disaster Risk Reduction. “We must prevent disasters and be prepared for the
next natural hazards. This disaster also tells us about the urgent need to save
and care for our environment.”
It is
widely argued that taking early action against climate change through
mitigation efforts outweigh the costs and economic impacts of inaction. In the
Philippines, transitioning to a low-carbon economy has many challenges, but it
also offers strong prospects for growth and development. The country has
tremendous mitigation opportunities and is graced with significant renewable
energy resources. According to the Philippine Department of Energy, renewable
energy already provides 40 percent of the country’s primary energy
requirements, and much of its potential has yet to be tapped.
To
achieve an environmentally secure future, the Philippines must not only rebuild
more sustainably but also create a sustainable pathway for future development.
With one of the most progressive energy laws in Asia, the country has committed
to a renewable energy target of 50 percent by 2030 under its Renewable Energy
Act.
Read more
at ENN affiliate Worldwatch
Institute.
Death
toll graphic from typhoon Haiyan image via Shutterstock.