Author: climaterealityph

New IPCC report reaffirms stark reality of global warming

Post author By climaterealityph
Post date August 9, 2021
2 Comments on New IPCC report reaffirms stark reality of global warming

New IPCC report reaffirms stark reality of global warming

August 9, 2021

Quezon City – The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Working Group 1 Report has confirmed that limiting global warming at 1.5C—the far safer limit for vulnerable developing countries to survive and thrive in this era of climate change—is slipping beyond reach without “immediate, rapid and large-scale reductions” in emissions.

“Just like the previous ones, the new IPCC report paints a grim scenario of what the future holds if the global community fails to act with the urgency and scale needed to reduce and avoid greenhouse gas emissions,” Nazrin Castro, Manager of The Climate Reality Project Philippines, said.

“At this point, with all the scientific evidence we already have at our disposal, doing nothing means being complicit in burning our planet down,” she added.

The new IPCC report, which reflects the work of more than 200 scientists around the world, revealed that global warming will reach 1.5C around 2030 and surpass 1.5C above pre-industrial levels around 2050 under all emissions scenarios. It also said that “the role of human influence on the climate system is undisputed.”

Castro, however, emphasized that the report also offers a sliver of hope.

“The report noted that we can still achieve 1.5C if we can get to net-zero emissions by 2050. We’ve seen in the past year the growing number of countries and cities pledging for carbon neutrality by mid-century. We need more of these commitments. More importantly, we need concrete actions that will turn these commitments into reality,” she said.

The release of the new report, Castro said, should also compel the Philippine Government to urgently complete the implementation plan for the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, which articulates the country’s commitment to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030 with the support of the international community.

“These new scientific findings will likely speed up the global transition to a low-carbon economy that is now underway. We cannot be left behind. We trust that the Department of Finance and the Climate Change Commission will get the ball rolling on developing the country’s NDC Implementation Plan.” Castro said.

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Eleventh Hour at the Manila Bulletin

Eleventh Hour: The circular road toward a plastic-free, resilient Philippines

Post author By climaterealityph
Post date August 7, 2021

Eleventh Hour: The circular road toward a plastic-free, resilient Philippines

August 7, 2021

By Ian Soqueño

Our addiction to plastics is hurting our climate and our chances of survival.

You’ve probably heard news or read reports citing the Philippines as one of the world’s top plastic-polluting countries due to our tremendous plastic consumption yet paltry plastic waste management efforts, with a recent study listing 19 of our very own rivers among the top 50 in the world carrying the most plastic waste into the ocean.

This has reignited public outcry for better and more effective waste management measures from the government, while also demanding greater accountability from the private sector, especially from the producers and companies that have introduced the most plastic in the market.

Unfortunately, this issue is not just about how plastics pollute the environment and our oceans, or how animals get entangled or confuse them for food, or how plastics can clog waterways and worsen flooding or contaminate our water due to open dumpsites, which may also provide breeding grounds for disease-carrying insects.

This is also about climate change and how these plastics contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming.

Whenever we produce plastics—which are derived from fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas—we also emit greenhouse gases that accumulate in our atmosphere and trap heat from the sun, thereby increasing the Earth’s temperature. In fact, the whole plastic life cycle—from extraction, manufacture, transport, and up to disposal—produces emissions that may reach up to 1.34 gigatons per year by 2030, which is equivalent to more than 295 new 500-megawatt coal-fired power plants, if current trends continue.

For decades, the Philippines has cultivated a culture and economy that thrived on the retail or tingi system using single-use plastics. For sure, sachets, straws, stirrers, plastic labo, and sando bags have made our lives more convenient, and we patronized them not knowing full well how they would affect our environment, health, and climate.

But we know better now. We’re seeing eco-stores that are bringing back refilling systems and promoting environment-friendly alternatives to plastics becoming more commercial, as well as startups working to minimize the use of plastics in online shopping and deliveries.

Also just last week, the House of Representatives finally approved its version of a proposed law that would phase out and ban single-use plastics nationwide, support research and development of sustainable plastic alternatives, and compel plastic producers and companies to implement extended producer responsibility schemes—but the question is, will this bill prosper in the Senate?

The approval built momentum for the government-led conference that took place the following day, which featured sustainable alternatives and solutions to single-use plastics, such as the development of green degradable polymers from plant-based oils, starch-based plastics, and chitosan-based packaging. The conference showed and also supported the bill’s belief in the capability of the Filipino to innovate and develop solutions against single-use plastics.

As we reinforce our policies and measures on single-use plastics, we also hope to change our societal behavior and mindset for the better. The goal—not just for us, but for all nations—is to have a circular economy, as opposed to our current linear economy. Circular, meaning, we are designing materials and products to be recyclable or upcyclable and not to end up as waste or pollution. Through this approach, we intend to extract less and less from our environment and minimize our greenhouse gas emissions from our industries and sectors.

As the Philippines faces a plastic crisis, the principles of circularity lend insights on how we can overcome our addiction to plastics and foster a green and just transition towards a more resilient and more sustainable future for all.

***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ian Soqueño is a Climate Reality Leader and a strategic communications professional with engagements in the public and development sectors. He is currently the research associate for The Climate Reality Project Philippines.

ABOUT ELEVENTH HOUR

This article was originally published on The Climate Reality Project Philippines’ weekly column for the Manila Bulletin called Eleventh Hour.

This column serves a digital space to discuss our organization’s work on supporting the country’s just transition into a clean, affordable, and self-sufficient energy system; advancing sustainable urban mobility to highlight the issues of equity and democracy; and raising public awareness about the need to phase out single-use plastics. It also serves as a platform for Pinoy Climate Reality Leaders to share your stories, promote your climate initiatives, and provide critical insights to issues that matter to climate action, environmental protection, and sustainable development.

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Blog Post

What’s SUP: Young Climate Reality Leaders’ Crusade Against Plastic

Post author By climaterealityph
Post date August 5, 2021
2 Comments on What’s SUP: Young Climate Reality Leaders’ Crusade Against Plastic

BALI, INDONESIA - FEBRUARY 12, 2017: Beach pollution at Kuta beach, Bali. Many garbage on the beach

What’s SUP: Young Climate Reality Leaders’ Crusade Against Plastic

August 5, 2021

By Danielle Madriaga

It started out as all things do—with the dipping of our toes in the proverbial waters. Only this time, we found our toes in waters filled with plastic.

Plastic has truly found its way into every aspect of our lives—in the clothes we wear, the products on our skin, in our canals and streets, and in the food we eat. It is not only the most tangible element of environmental degradation, but also the most ubiquitous as well. My generation grew up with it and the throwaway culture surrounding it: the straws and cups that only lasted one meal, the needless layers of plastic in packaging… and we thought: enough. Actually, too much.

Hence, it was no surprise that addressing plastic pollution was identified as one of the main priorities when the youth of The Climate Reality Project Philippines convened in February for our cluster’s first strategic planning.

A month later, in an opportunity that presented itself through – where else do we lurk these days? – social media, we found the opening for our anti-single-use plastic (SUP) campaign. Greenpeace Philippines had just launched their latest documentary entitled “Ang Huling Plastic,” and we came across a tweet promoting it. The film’s synopsis read, “They say hope floats. But in an ocean filled with plastic waste, can it ever see the light of day?” Needless to say, we were hooked.

We sent Greenpeace an email to schedule a screening for Earth Week 2021 and explore potential areas for collaboration. The initial plan was for the screening’s participants to engage in a post-event activity, where they could apply what they learned from the film. Our team of Youth Coordinators tapped our cluster’s Sustainable Industries Representative and Environmental Stability Representative to co-lead the campaign with us and, with them on board, we were able to hold a planning session with the entire Youth Cluster. We discovered a treasure trove of good ideas with our young Climate Reality Leaders (CRLs). In fact, we ended up with too many to pick just one, or even just a few. We had enough ideas to create an entire month’s worth of challenges.

And so, The Plastic-Free Agenda was born.

We mapped the challenges onto a weekly calendar and conceptualized the details in the days leading up to Earth Week. However, in the process of planning, we realized two things: first, it was best to harness the 501-strong membership of the Youth Cluster instead of restricting it to the event participants; and second, these activities could lead to so much more.

And they did. The Plastic-Free Agenda evolved to become Phase 1 of “What’s SUP?”, a full-fledged anti-single-use plastic (SUP) campaign with multiple phases, in partnership with Greenpeace Philippines.

The solution to the plastic crisis – and truly, any crisis – is systemic change. However, the sense of agency necessary to sustain a crusade towards systemic change starts from within. This was a valuable lesson we learned in our training as Climate Reality Leaders. Before taking on the world, we were taught to take on ourselves: on a personal level, what can I do where I am and with what I’m doing to create change that ripples to a tide, and then to a wave? An acute sense of hope and possibility couples the agency and responsibility that comes with answering those questions, and it was the same approach we wanted to take with our campaign.

Through the four weeks of May, the Month of the Ocean, the Youth Cluster accepted challenge after challenge to act on the plastic crisis from home. As the generation that grew up in the digital age, we also wanted to take advantage of our peers’ perpetual presence online, especially when we all find ourselves still stuck indoors due to the pandemic. Therefore, in addition to accomplishing the challenges, our young CRLs posted their experiences and lessons on social media to enjoin their circles to #SingleOutSingleUse. These can be found on the Highlights of The Climate Reality Project Philippines’ Instagram page, entitled “What’s SUP.” Below are some of them:

PERSONAL WASTE AUDIT & PLASTIC-FREE STARTS WITH ME

Every action must start with education, and this is what the Week 1 challenges of the Plastic-Free Agenda were designed to do. Through documentary films, articles, and petitions, young CRLs learned the impacts of and solutions to the plastic crisis. With this knowledge, they were equipped to take on the succeeding weeks’ challenges that sought to spark change.

Change started with the Personal Waste Audit, which enjoined our young CRLs to collect and document their waste every day for one week, identifying personal wasteful habits and particularly high-plastic areas in their lives, as well as the systems that perpetuated such waste. This challenge showed us that not only is there always something we can do, but we can also always do things better. In its Week 3 follow-up challenge, Plastic-Free Starts With Me, our young CRLs then listed action steps they could take to single out their single-use plastics and continuously become better consumers.

Left: Ari Tanglao’s Day 4 Audit tackling plastic packaging deliveries; Right: Gwyne Tormes’ Day 5 Audit reflecting on possible eco-friendly alternatives for medicine packaging

Gwyne Tormes’ analysis of her personal waste & ways forward

FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION WITH CLIMATE REALITY INDONESIA

Before launching, we had already slated a Focus Group Discussion as one of the final challenges, so the participants would have an avenue to discuss their experiences and lessons from the entire Plastic-Free Agenda. In the Youth Coordinators’ May planning session with Climate Reality Indonesia’s youth for our collaborative activities and projects, everyone was keen on having another Focus Group Discussion together, as all our previous ones proved to be very value-adding. With the timing falling perfectly in step with The Plastic-Free Agenda, we decided to combine the two into one Focus Group Discussion on the Plastic Crisis in Southeast Asia, which is arguably the region most affected by plastic pollution.

The Focus Group Discussion on the Plastic Crisis in Southeast Asia with Climate Reality Indonesia

PLASTIC-FREE POLICIES WITH MAKESENSE

Though an initial list of challenges was ready and plotted into our calendar for the month, we launched our challenges weekly to allow adjustments based on the performance of related challenges in previous weeks, amongst other things. This also paved the way for collaboration with other organizations, an opportunity provided to us by the Branch, who coordinated with MakeSense and involved them in The Plastic-Free Agenda.

IEC Campaigns are crucial to the success of any movement. They are particularly critical to Anti-Single-Use Plastic now as the House of Representatives was reviewing Proposed Bill 9147, the Single-Use Plastic Products Regulation Act, at the time we launched our own Anti-SUP Campaign. Citizens have pushed against plastic pollution for decades and awareness continues to spread every day. Many, when presented with the solutions to this crisis, are willing to act; often, they just don’t have the information necessary to do so. Now, more than ever, this information needs to be accessible for the passage of HR Bill 9147 to gain traction and be prioritized. The Branch, therefore, connected the Youth Cluster Coordinators to MakeSense for Re_action, a program in which volunteers are assigned bite-sized tasks – a scheme that aligned perfectly with The Plastic-Free Agenda.

The cover art cards of the infographics created by the partnership of The Climate Reality Project Philippines and MakeSense

THE BIG SUPRISE

As the finale of The Plastic-Free Agenda, two groups led by our Young Climate Reality Leaders each organized a webinar to transition our campaign to its second phase, which will be centered on (1) engaging businesses to cut back on their plastic consumption and (2) replicating The Plastic-Free Agenda in schools and universities.

The first group, led by Shar Dismas and Ari Tanglao, hosted Life’s Fantastic Without the Plastic for MSMEs aiming to go sustainable. Kate Mana-Galido of Back-to-Basics Ecostore and Marian Ledesma of Greenpeace guested as resource speakers and participated in the breakout room discussions, wherein event participants were able to ask for their insights and advice.

Andrian Caisip and Alexis Concordia also hosted SUPer Kalat for university students. Paeng Lopez of Health Care Without Harm – Asia and fellow young CRL, Janssen Calvelo of Break Free From Plastic, joined as resource speakers.

#SINGLEOUTSINGLEUSE SATURDAY

The Plastic-Free Agenda wrapped up its first run with a digital strike entitled #SingleOutSingleUse Saturday, with Climate Reality Leaders from various clusters participating.

***

The Plastic-Free Agenda rode on the waves made by Climate Reality PH’s week-long celebration of Earth Day and was subsequently launched in May, coinciding with the final weeks of the student semester. Despite being loaded with requirements, Youth Cluster members, who we previously were not able to engage with as much, stepped up and persisted in delivering the mission of The Plastic-Free Agenda, taking each challenge to heart. We believe that our approach to start within, while sometimes tending to feel tedious, is effective. Taking a moment in the hustle and bustle of everyday life to reflect on our own patterns and behavior not only empowered us to build better habits and consume mindfully, but also enabled us to see how our personal choices are often dictated by the systems in place. For example, when it comes to our non-perishable purchases via delivery, we observed the amount of unnecessary plastic that goes into packaging and realized we never asked for it. We weren’t even given the choice to go plastic-free. However, through learning from and with each other, we discovered the sustainable alternatives we need, and the systemic solutions society needs to move towards zero waste. Through the challenges that required us to spark conversations within our circles, from our friends to our families, we were able to enjoin our communities to do the same.

Organizing the campaign in under a month to hold our Ang Huling Plastic screening in time for Earth Day is something we’re immensely proud of. The campaign came together very quickly, and we just kept charging on like a bull that’s seen red and doesn’t know how to stop. That Joe Sabah quote embodies the team quite nicely: “You don’t have to be good to start; you just have to start to be good!” We were keen for What’s SUP to take off, determined to continuously improve it as it moved forward.

That said, in our abounding enthusiasm, we did overlook a few factors, thus picking up several valuable lessons in campaign organizing and community engagement. First, timing is everything – we know The Plastic-Free Agenda could have done even better had it been launched at a time that saw our young CRLs freer from the clutches of school and university. Second, it is admirable to hold lofty ambitions, but hopes and expectations must still be grounded in reality. Upon debriefing, we all agreed that, while preparing the calendar, we thought the lineup of challenges manageable. However, as the weeks went by, though the challenges decreased in quantity, they increased in difficulty and, at one point, became overwhelming.

Hence, moving into Phase 2, we’ll be rolling out a new and improved Plastic-Free Agenda that will further increase its impact by allowing enough time and energy to accomplish each challenge. Several versions of The Plastic-Free Agenda will also be available, as it will be tailored to fit a variety of uses, from student council or student organization events to its integration into school and university classes to public participation. One way or another, you can expect The Plastic-Free Agenda to reach you.

Phase 2 will also see our joint team from Climate Reality PH Youth and Greenpeace PH help businesses single out their single-use plastics, from the shops already aiming to go sustainable that we engaged with in Life’s Fantastic Without the Plastic to our favorite establishments in our communities that are still stuck in business as usual.

As we rally support for the passage of the National Single-Use Plastic Products Regulation Act, a broader IEC Campaign will be mounted to make the plastic crisis and its solutions more digestible. Different modes and platforms of delivery will be explored, particularly (cheer of support, please!) TikTok to capture the attention of and create a long-lasting trend with the youth.

As we work to bring to life our dream of a #BetterNormal and #BetterReality, we must remember that we cannot have a low-carbon, climate-resilient, sustainable Philippines if we are not also plastic-free.

Danielle Madriaga is a Youth Cluster Coordinator of The Climate Reality Project Philippines, Head of its Writers Pool, and Co-Lead of The Plastic-Free Agenda. She also belongs to the Sustainable Industries Cluster of Climate Reality Philippines, being a civil engineer and green building professional but she considers herself a frustrated writer with journalism as her first love.

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Statements

Statement of Youth and Climate Organizations on the Passing of House Bill 9147 by Congress

Post author By climaterealityph
Post date August 2, 2021
1 Comment on Statement of Youth and Climate Organizations on the Passing of House Bill 9147 by Congress

Statement of Youth and Climate Organizations on the Passing of House Bill 9147 by Congress

August 2, 2021

As concerned Filipino citizens and advocates for climate justice, we commend the passing of House Bill No. 9147 or the “Single Use Plastic Products Regulation Act” by the Congress upon its third reading.

The Philippines is in a plastic pollution crisis — a complicated problem that needs a comprehensive solution; one wherein the government and private sector work hand in hand to “stop the tap.” This means creating long-lasting solutions that look at the whole life cycle of plastics, and not merely at waste management which is already addressed by existing policies like RA 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Law). While improving our waste management facilities and systems is necessary, it is not enough. Plastic pollution and its related health risks must be stopped at the source instead of merely relying on offsets and end-of-pipe solutions. Policies like HB 9147 must enforce regulations at the upstream (production level), which it seeks to do through phaseouts of items and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes. This would effectively convey to plastic producers that they have a responsibility to significantly reduce their contribution to the plastic crisis by shifting to alternate delivery systems.

The massive production of plastics is not only environmentally destructive but is also predicated by continuous oil and fossil fuel extraction. The International Energy Agency reports that petrochemicals used to manufacture plastics are expected to compose more than a third of the growth in world oil demand in 2030, and about half the growth by 2050. If left unregulated, this oil expansion alarmingly amounts to 7 million barrels of oil. Put simply: plastic production fuels climate change. If our government is unequivocal in addressing the urgency of the climate crisis, we must deal with unregulated plastic production immediately. Keeping in mind that in the pursuit to regulate SUPs, we must do away with offsetting, which allows harmful and environmentally destructive schemes such as co-processing, incineration, and various waste-to-energy technology, as these still exacerbate climate change by releasing greenhouse gases in addition to toxic substances.

It is the duty of our leaders to make choices that benefit Filipinos and future generations. For too long, our country has been stagnant about this crisis, with the fight against single-use plastics having gone on for decades. This is because resolutions that lead to significant change constantly fail to be implemented. In this critical decade for climate action, token activism absent of action is something we simply cannot afford. The LGUs of Quezon City and San Fernando, Pampanga among others, have succeeded in banning single-use plastic. This kind of change can be achieved on a national level through this bill, which is why it must immediately be reviewed, improved, and passed without provisions which are detrimental to people and the planet.

We therefore call for an environmentally sound single-use plastics regulation focused on upstream solutions, excluding harmful and environmentally destructive offsetting schemes, implementing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), setting a more ambitious timeline to phase out single-use plastics, and transitioning businesses to reuse systems. With these important provisions that will entail necessary actions from all stakeholders, we can eradicate plastic pollution — taking a huge step towards a truly sustainable Philippines.

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Eleventh Hour at the Manila Bulletin

Eleventh Hour: Building resilience amid the climate, environmental, and pollution crises

Post author By climaterealityph
Post date July 31, 2021

Eleventh Hour: Building resilience amid the climate, environmental, and pollution crises

July 31, 2021

Executive Order No. 29 (s. 2017) declared July as National Disaster Resilience Month to raise awareness on disaster prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response, and rehabilitation and recovery.

For us in the Climate Reality Philippines, this is an opportune time to underscore the fact that disaster resilience will only be possible if we address the triple planetary emergency we face today as a nation—climate disruption, declining ecosystems, and escalating pollution.

This compels us to put in place the following proactive approaches to integrate disaster risk reduction and management, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and environmental management in households, communities, workplaces, and every facet of society:

First: Educating our people on the urgency and solvability of the climate crisis.

A research published by the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative in October 2020 revealed the low level of public awareness about climate change among Filipinos. According to the study, at the national average, only 12 percent of respondents had heard a lot or felt “extremely well informed” about climate change.

We cannot go on like this. We have the laws in place to integrate climate change education into our formal education system. These must be implemented and complemented by mass media organizations by putting more climate solutions in the news cycle.

We need to see information, education, and communication materials on climate change in public places, such as malls, museums, and parks.

Second: Ensuring an efficient social protection system.

Those who are part of the marginalized sectors of society and who have no access to basic services are the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

For climate change adaptation strategies to be successful, we must ensure that nobody is left behind. This means that the government, with the assistance of the private sector, must provide sufficient basic services such as health care, housing, sanitation, financial services, and social protection to the poorest of the poor.

Third: Enabling and supporting people, local leaders, and organizations to do their part.

The government, the private sector, and civil society must converge expertise and resources to help households; micro, small, and medium enterprises; and local governments overcome existing obstacles to take action. These obstacles include lack of support for innovation and lack of access to timely and actionable climate and disaster risk information, best technologies, and financial instruments available.

Fourth: Instituting sustainable urban planning and management.

The government’s urban planning system sets the direction to where private investments will go. It is therefore important for both the government and the private sector to ensure that investments trickle down to infrastructure assets that are climate-smart, sustainable, and resilient.

Fifth: Using the triple-bottom-line (people, planet, and profit) approach to doing business.

Integrating sustainability in value chain management has been compelling due to accumulating anecdotal evidence of greater long-term profitability.

Demand for products and services that meet the sustainability criteria will continue to increase. Getting ahead of the curve and building capability this early will be nothing but beneficial for businesses.

Sixth: Developing business continuity plans.

Climate change is here and it will continue to threaten the lives and livelihoods of our people. Government and business operations must have systems in place to respond to any unforeseen business continuity challenges brought by climate- and environment-related disasters.

Seventh: Reducing the carbon footprint of business operations.

There is no real adaptation without mitigation. Actively pursuing greenhouse gas emission reduction and avoidance efforts will enable us to reduce the cost of adaptation to physical and disruptive climate-related impacts. This includes integrating energy efficiency, using low-carbon technologies, and incorporating renewable energy solutions in day-to-day business operations.

Eighth: Forging collaborative and strategic partnerships.

We cannot work in silos. The need for the government, private business sector, and civil society to work together has never been this urgent.

We must create dynamic synergies in action so that we can build replicable, scalable, and sustainable projects, programs, and practices. Sustainability and climate-resilient development can no longer stay as buzzwords. They must be translated into actions now.

We cannot work in silos. The need for the government, private business sector, and civil society to work together has never been this urgent.

***

About Eleventh Hour

This article was originally published on The Climate Reality Project Philippines’ weekly column for the Manila Bulletin called Eleventh Hour.

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#RealiTalk Blog Feature

#RealiTalk: National Disaster Resilience Month with Ferth Manaysay

Post author By climaterealityph
Post date July 30, 2021

#RealiTalk: National Disaster Resilience Month with Ferth Manaysay

July 30, 2021

Do you know that there’s no such thing as “natural disasters?”

In observance of National Disaster Resilience Month, it must be emphasized that disasters happen because of the interaction of natural hazards with poor urban planning, weak risk governance, increasing socio-economic inequalities, and declining ecosystems.

Moreover, it must be highlighted how the prevailing climate crisis is adding another dimension to disaster risk, exposure, vulnerability, and resilience.

Thus, in this month’s #Realitalk, we asked Climate Reality Leader Ferth Manaysay to talk about the nexus between climate change and disaster risk, progress and gaps on institutionalizing climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR), and the crucial role of open data and the youth in building resilience.

Ferth is the Project and Partnerships Manager of MapaKalamidad.ph, a free web-based and open-source platform that harnesses the power of social media and instant messaging to gather, sort, and display information about disasters.

In this feature, Ferth reminds us that risk is not static. As Climate Reality Leaders, we must demand our leaders, both at the national and local levels, to ensure the synergy and complementation of CCA and DRR actions in the country.

Contrary to common understanding, disasters are not a direct result of natural hazards but are consequences of the complex interaction between hazards and the characteristics that make people and places exposed and vulnerable. How is the prevailing climate crisis affecting disaster risk in the country?

Ferth: During the last few months of 2020, consecutive typhoons wreaked havoc in the Philippines which resulted in extensive and destructive floods. Scientists have long warned that the climate crisis will make extreme weather events more frequent. are highly prone to disasters by virtue of our natural geographic exposure. In our country, the changing climate, however, has translated to more intense floods, landslides, and droughts, as well as increased precipitation rates and wind speeds associated with tropical cyclones. Along with stronger storms, sea-level rise has also intensified the impacts of storm surges in our coastal communities, especially in social and economic terms such as loss of lives and damage to infrastructures. In this regard, climate change and disaster risk reduction are tightly intertwined. The climate crisis has not only been increasing climatic hazards but has also been intensifying the vulnerability of our communities to hazards.

In the case of the Philippines, climate change has reduced our abilities to cope with even the existing levels of hazards. While global warming has been exacerbating the onset of extreme weather events and other forms of climate change-related losses and damages in the Philippines, it is worth noting that the barrage of disasters our country has been experiencing can also be attributed to the failure of our leaders to sufficiently prepare communities for these hazards. As such, it is important to underscore that many processes, including climate change, are behind these interconnected risks. The COVID-19 pandemic, for example, has made it even more difficult to prepare, respond, and recover from one typhoon to another. Nevertheless, the existing tools of disaster risk reduction also offer powerful mechanisms for climate adaptation.

Aside from climate change, other underlying drivers of disaster risk in the country are poor urban governance, vulnerable rural livelihoods, and declining ecosystems. How are these elements contributing to the dramatic increase of disaster risk in our communities?

Ferth: Disaster risk can be determined based on the severity and frequency of hazards, the exposure of people to the hazards, and the vulnerability of the people to damage. This may indicate development failures because hazard, vulnerability, and exposure are shaped by different forms of risk drivers such as poverty, poor urban planning and regional development, and environmental degradation. By increasing the exposure and vulnerability of communities to hazards, climate change adds another layer of stress to such risk drivers and diminishes the communities’ abilities to manage and cope with the effects of disasters.

Informal settler families in Philippine urban areas, for example, are among the most vulnerable groups to climate-related impacts such as flood events linked to intensified storm surges and sea-level rise due to unstable infrastructures. In the same manner, the increase in the number and exposure of people to climatic hazards can affect the livelihoods of vulnerable communities.

Increased drought will likely lead to risks for populations dependent on subsistence livelihoods, while the increased frequency of precipitation will likely lead to damages to agricultural assets, losses of lives, disruptions of commerce and transport, and pressures on urban and rural infrastructure.

For our part, it is imperative to highlight that our vulnerability is dependent not only on the decisions and policies that our leaders make but also on the steps our communities take in order to prepare for disasters. After all, risk is not static and can change based on the actions we pursue to decrease our vulnerabilities to hazards.

“

”

"While our country has made progress in terms of institutionalizing DRRM and CCA policies, there are still challenges in terms of their implementation."

FERTH MANAYSAY

How is the Philippine Government addressing prevailing and emerging climate and disaster risks in the country? In your opinion, do we have enough policies, institutions, and systems in place to implement and synergize climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction and management efforts?

Ferth: The Philippine Government has made great efforts in integrating disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) and climate change adaptation (CCA). This is reflected in the different legal and policy frameworks in place which recognize the interrelationships between these two concepts.

As a signatory of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), our country created the Climate Change Commission (CCC) with the passage of Republic Act No. 9729 (RA 9729) in 2009. The CCC was tasked to mainstream climate change adaptation and mitigation into government policy and establish a framework strategy.

The Philippines is also a signatory of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, Sendai Framework (2015), and Hyogo Framework for Action (2005-2015), which have augmented the efforts of the country towards DRRM and CCA.

In addition, the country enacted the Republic Act No. 10121 (RA 10121), Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, which involves the following thematic pillars: (1) disaster prevention and mitigation; (2) preparedness; (3) response; and (4) recovery and rehabilitation. Republic Acts 10121 and 9729 are among the policies requiring the inclusion of DRRM and CCA not only at the national but also at the local level.

While our country has made progress in terms of institutionalizing DRRM and CCA policies, there are still challenges in terms of their implementation. Based on our experiences from the recent disasters, for example, the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) has faced constraints in terms of coordinating the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), which is composed of member-agencies that are occupied with their own primary mandates and responsibilities. Similarly, CCC also has limited mechanisms to support agencies to prioritize adaptation measures.

How can we further strengthen national and local risk governance in the country, ensure appropriate preparedness and effective response to disasters, and build national and local resilience?

Ferth: Given the losses and damages we incur every year due to climate-induced disasters, we cannot afford to settle for “business as usual” practices if our goal is to become a disaster- and climate-resilient country. In the Philippines, the impacts of climate change have been worsened by rapid environmental degradation and unsustainable development practices. These take into account why we need to look for nature-based solutions to mitigate the risks of disasters and adapt to climate change. These may include the protection of our forest resources and rehabilitation of degraded areas.

At the institutional level, the recent typhoons have also shown us that there is a lack of coordination among government agencies at the local and national level, which is why it is important to improve inter-agency and inter-local government cooperation in planning, recovering, and responding to disasters.

As indicated in the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP), climate-related disaster risks reduction efforts should put the people at the center of resilience-building strategies in anticipation of medium- and long-term changes in climate. As such, adaptation measures should be done to help strengthen the resilience and capacities of local communities, especially in poor and low-lying areas.

Despite the convergence on the policy level, the implementation of DRRM and CCA measures has been challenging due to overlapping responsibilities, actions plans, tools, and institutions. Although there are ongoing debates about the creation of a standalone agency to deal with disasters, my hope is that the proposed Department of Disaster Resilience will not only be focused on effectively responding to and managing the risks of disasters but also on dealing with the realities of our climate crisis.

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"As part of our commitment to enable more equitable forms of disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, we are thrilled to share that MapaKalamidad.ph will soon be launching a new program aimed at empowering young leaders who can support disaster risk reduction in their communities!"

FERTH MANAYSAY

Before joining Climate Reality Philippines early this year as Engagement Officer, you’ve been working on the web-based platform MapaKalamidad.ph. What is this project all about and how is it contributing to effective disaster risk reduction and management in the country?

Ferth: MapaKalamidad.ph is a free web-based and open-source platform that harnesses the power of social media and instant messaging to gather, sort, and display information about disasters at the street level in real time in a manner that removes the need for expensive and time-consuming data processing.

In order to filter through the noise of social media and collect verified crowdsourced disaster reports, MapaKalamidad.ph listens for specific keywords in social media posts (such as flood) and sends programmatic invitations asking users if they would like to contribute to community-based disaster mapping. Humanitarian chatbots guide users to submit anonymous flood reports through four steps: verify their location, record flood heights, and add photos and descriptions. These reports are displayed on a public map in real time. Government agencies may monitor the platform to assess the disaster situation, respond to resident needs, and as part of a transparent two-way communication system, update the map with time-critical information in order to alert residents to the severity of the flood.

By integrating localized knowledge from a variety of sources into a single, robust platform, MapaKalamidad.ph can provide a comprehensive overview of disaster events, enabling residents, humanitarian agencies, and government agencies to make more informed decisions during emergencies.

Our platform is committed towards democratizing decision support tools—ensuring that all residents have access to the information they need to coordinate individual and collective actions for safety while also providing first responders with tools for evidence-based emergency response and community resilience.

In our commitment towards supporting disaster preparedness and building resilient communities, the platform is actively involved in engaging in partnerships and training programs with various local communities, agencies, and universities across the Philippines. Our platform advocates for the use of open data as fundamental tools and methodologies for mutual aid and supporting collaborative efforts for adapting to climate change.

MapaKalamidad.ph has been highlighting the role of the youth in disaster risk reduction and management. What is your message to your fellow young Filipinos who are interested to contribute to resilience building?

Ferth: As part of our commitment to enable more equitable forms of disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, we are thrilled to share that MapaKalamidad.ph will soon be launching a new program aimed at empowering young leaders who can support disaster risk reduction in their communities!

It goes without saying that young people are able to bring fresh ideas to the table and this includes the process of building resilience to disasters. During emergency events, young people can undertake active roles in social media-powered information-sharing by reporting real-time disaster information to MapaKalamidad.ph to help their neighbors and government agencies better understand and respond to on-the-ground situations.

By underscoring the importance of social media in times of disasters, our main goal is to enhance the potential and power of young people in spreading awareness and engaging their communities in activities to become prepared for disasters. For the most part, young people are still seen as passive victims who have untapped potential to make unique and collective capacities to drive solutions. We hope our platform can provide a concrete way to enhance the role of the youth in educating, advocating, and communicating about disaster risk reduction.

In MapaKalamidad.ph, we aim to break the one-way, traditional notion that the youth are mere beneficiaries by involving and empowering them to become partners in disaster risk reduction. As young people, we have the power to influence our families, peers, and communities in taking concrete action to mitigate risks.

disaster risk reduction, human security

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09Mar

Tags disaster risk reduction, human security

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#RealiTalk: National Disaster Resilience Month with Ferth Manaysay

Do you know that there’s no such thing as “natural disasters?”

Aside from climate change, other underlying drivers of disaster risk in the country are poor urban governance, vulnerable rural livelihoods, and declining ecosystems. How are these elements contributing to the dramatic increase of disaster risk in our communities?

How is the Philippine Government addressing prevailing and emerging climate and disaster risks in the country? In your opinion, do we have enough policies, institutions, and systems in place to implement and synergize climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction and management efforts?

How can we further strengthen national and local risk governance in the country, ensure appropriate preparedness and effective response to disasters, and build national and local resilience?

Before joining Climate Reality Philippines early this year as Engagement Officer, you’ve been working on the web-based platform MapaKalamidad.ph. What is this project all about and how is it contributing to effective disaster risk reduction and management in the country?

MapaKalamidad.ph has been highlighting the role of the youth in disaster risk reduction and management. What is your message to your fellow young Filipinos who are interested to contribute to resilience building?

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