The annual Buglasan Festival celebration had always been accompanied by scattered rains and thunderstorms.
It was a great blessing the rains had stopped so the contingents were able to showcase their talents in the street dancing and showdown at the Perdices Stadium, which was a spectacular and memorable sight. Congratulations to all the participants and organizers!
Our area, however, was not the only place inundated by the effects of severe tropical storm Kristine (Trami), which wrought damage to lives and property to millions of people.
The typhoon may have left the Philippine Area of Responsibility but its outer rainbands continue to affect parts of the country, with strong winds and intense rains.
This is attributed to the phenomenon called ‘climate change’ which refers to big, long-lasting changes in how the weather works all around the world.
Global warming is a big part of this—like the Earth’s atmosphere getting warmer because it is holding onto more heat from the sun. This extra warmth messes up a lot of things.
For example, when the oceans get warmer, they create bigger storms like hurricanes and typhoons. And as the ice at the North and South poles melts because it’s too warm, it causes sea level to rise, which can cause floods in places where people live.
Following news reports, countries all over the world, likewise, are grappling with the impacts of climate change, including slow and sudden onset weather events, making one realize the seriousness of the phrase that we live in one earth, one planet.
According to a report, People and Planet: Addressing the Interlinked Challenges of Climate Change, Poverty, and Hunger in Asia and the Pacific, released by the Asian Development Bank, the UN Economic & Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, and the UN Development Programme, more frequent and severe climate-related hazards will result in reduced agricultural and labor productivity, loss of livelihoods, and human displacement.
These put a strain on our socio-economic and environmental systems, hinder efforts to promote food security and alleviate poverty, especially for poorer countries and vulnerable communities, and reflect the interlinkages among climate, poverty, and food insecurity.
To stop these hazards from getting worse, people need to understand how this is happening so we can help by reducing carbon released into the atmosphere which makes the earth too warm.
As we grapple with these challenges, the need for comprehensive mitigation strategies has never been more pressing.
Climate change mitigation involves actions to reduce or prevent greenhouse gas emissions from human activities. Mitigation efforts include transitioning to renewable energy sources, enhancing energy efficiency, adopting regenerative agricultural practices, and protecting and restoring forests and critical ecosystems.
In simple terms, countries, communities, groups, and households need to develop adaptation solutions and implement actions to respond to current and future climate change impacts.
Actions can take on many forms, depending on the unique context of a community, business, organization, country or region. There is no one-size-fits-all solution — building flood defenses, setting up early warning systems for cyclones, switching to drought-resistant crops, to redesigning communication systems, business operations and government policies, taking into consideration environmental concerns.
Think global. Act local.
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Author’s email: whelmayap@yahoo.com
