Climate Resilience: A Philippine Case Study

Objectives:

 To analyze the effects of climate change on the Philippines,

 To evaluate the country’s response strategies, and
 Propose individual and community-level actions to enhance climate resilience.

The 21st century is marked by climate change as a defining challenge, and this decade will be key
for action to reduce the most severe impacts on human population and ecosystems. The main causes
of climate change around the world are urbanization, agriculture, industrial activity and greenhouse
effect. This led to an accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, i.e. CO2, methane, which
resulted in a rise in Earth's temperature and global warming. These also contributed on exposing
species to dangerous temperatures driving widespread population and geographical contractions.
Furthermore, it is not just the rising temperatures and heat waves in most parts of the world that
climate change has an impact, but also changes in rainfall, more extreme weather events, increased
droughts or higher fire risks.

CLIMATE CHANGE

Over the past 65 years, the world's climate has changed significantly, with further changes
expected in the 20th century and global warming. It is a formidable intergovernmental problem
because of the interconnected nature of climate change's effects on the environment, the
environment, society, and the economy (Feliciano et al., 2022). As a consequence of climate change,
temperatures are rising on many different planets which will cause rising sea levels, extreme weather
events, and biodiversity loss.

The Philippines is one of the world's most vulnerable countries to climate change. Every year,
it is hit by at least 20 typhoons that cause damage to homes and livelihoods, displacement of
thousands or hundreds of casualties. Extreme droughts and rising seas also occur in the region.
These not only lead to the forced displacement of communities but also threaten food security.

To define climate change, long term changes in the environment's temperature, precipitation,
air pressure and humidity are taken into account. An increase in extreme weather events, shrinking
world ice sheets and resulting sea level rise are among the most widely known international and
domestic impacts of climate change. Greenhouse gases (GHGs) like carbon dioxide (CO2), methane
(CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and water vapor were thought to come solely from natural sources like
forest fires, volcanoes, and seismic activities preceding to the industrial revolution. Fossil fuels are the
source of energy production in emerging economies. This has led to an increase in greenhouse gas
emissions that contribute to a warming of the planet.

CLIMATE CHANGE: THE PHILIPPINES

Effects on biodiversity

One of the main causes of species extinction is climate change, and as such it has devastating
impacts on biodiversity worldwide. A strong relationship has been observed between the evolution of
species worldwide and a range of climatic phenomena (Manes et al., 202). Due to the rapidity and
severity of climate change, the range of marine, freshwater and terrestrial organisms that can survive
in their environments is changing.

Changes in average climate regimes have a wide range of impacts on ecosystem health,
affecting such things as species abundance and distribution, migratory patterns, activity schedules
and the use of microhabitats (Allan et al., 2021). The range of a species is often determined by its
tolerance to environment pressure, biological interactions and dispersal limits. Consequently, local
species have little choice but to accept, adapt and relocate or die as a result of this (Hankin et al.,
2023). Those with a higher tolerance for change and a lower need for stability in their current
environments are the best performing species (Nehe et al., 2023). Increased vulnerability to climate
change and extreme heat waves is played out by poor habitat connectivity and limited access to the
microclimate.

In addition, mass die offs, population losses and contractions on the warmer border of their
geographical range will occur in species that are becoming more vulnerable to harmful climatic
conditions. As global warming continues, the area over which species are adversely impacted by
thermal exposure will expand, increasing the risks of local and global extinctions and disrupting the
functioning and stability of the ecosystems these species form and on which society depends.

STRATEGIES

Adaptation and mitigation are necessary to cope with climate change. Adaptation to climate
change has a direct impact on extreme weather events, such as floods, compared to mitigation of
climate change. According to Prokopenko et al., (2023), cconomically and ecologically, GHG
mitigation becomes a pressing concern as it reduces or moderates’ emissions. Scientists are pretty
worried about how the adaptation and mitigation strategies will work in different economic and
geographical contexts, as some studies have shown. Agriculture, forestry, industry, transport and
land use are the major sectors which need to be adapted and mitigated by policies (Waheed et al.,
2021). Adaptation and mitigation efforts need to be given close attention at both the International and
National levels. Over the last few decades, climate change has become an increasingly urgent issue
and it is now essential to prepare for its consequences so that economic and social progress can be
made worldwide. Countries need to adapt and reduce the impact of climate change through
international policies and plans.

Efforts to decarbonize the energy future will improve economic activity, job creation (outweighing
damages in the fossil fuel sector), and welfare if a complete policy structure is in place. In order to
take advantage of the opportunities presented by the energy transition, many countries will need to
implement structural reforms, particularly those with inadequate local supply chains and a high
reliance on income from fossil fuels. In the form of tax breaks, finance, direct infrastructure spending,
regulatory loopholes, and more, governments continue to provide substantial policy support for the
extraction of fossil fuels.

PROJECT

Establishing a Platform for Climate-Resilient and Low-Carbon Urban Development (TA 9748-REG) is
a Knowledge and Support Technical Assistance (KSTA) implemented by the Asian Development
Bank (ADB) designed to support the establishment of the Platform for Climate Resilient and Low-
Carbon Urban Development. The KSTA was also designed to support the priorities articulated in
ADB’s Strategy 2030 and its Climate Change Operational Framework 2017—2030, particularly the
operational priority on tackling climate change, building climate and disaster resilience, and
enhancing environmental sustainability; the operational priorities of making cities more livable, and
fostering regional cooperation and integration. The KSTA was supported by the Urban Climate
Change Resilience Trust Fund (UCCRTF) under the Urban Financing Partnership Facility and
administered by ADB. The KSTA has documented good practice on urban climate resilience and low-
carbon planning and developed guidelines that will enhance city knowledge on governance and
institutional support for urban climate resilience and low-carbon development and access to finance.
It has shared the results of its activities through workshops related to good practice examples
identified. The intent is to build a platform that will provide city governments from ADB’s developing
member countries (DMCs) with access to tools, methodology, guidance, and knowledge on pursuing
low-carbon and climate resilient urban development. Access to such tools will help cities in assessing,
identifying, and developing climate actions needed to implement priorities of the nationally determined
contributions (NDCs) at city level, and to mobilize climate finance for implementing city-level
investments in climate resilient, low-carbon projects.

REFERENCES
Rowalt Carpo Alibudbud., Climate change and mental health in the Philippines
doi:10.1192/bji.2022.31

Nancy A. Eckardt, et al., Climate change challenges, plant science solutions

https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koac303

Alex L. Pigot, et al., Abrupt expansion of climate change risks for species
globallyhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-023-02070-4

Asif Raihan., A review of the global climate change impacts, adaptation strategies, and mitigation
options in the socio-economic and environmental sectors https://doi.org/10.56556/jescae.v2i3.587

Diana Feliciano. (2022) Factors influencing the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices: the
case of seven horticultural farms in the United Kingdom. Scottish Geographical Journal 138:3-4,
pages 291-320. https://doi.org/10.1080/14693062.2022.2028597