Environmental Degradation

 the deterioration of the

environment through depletion of
resources such as air, water and soil; the
destruction of ecosystems; habitat
destruction; the extinction of wildlife;
and pollution.
Environmental Issues

 Development , especially economic

development was hastened by the industrial
revolution . This is the period in human history
that made possible the cycle of efficiency.
 This cycle harms the planet in a number of
ways. For instance, the earth’s atmosphere is
damage by the carbon emissions from Factories
around the world.
 Another example is the destruction of coral
reefs and marine biodiversity as more and more
wastes are thrown into the ocean
Deforestation, pollution and climate change will not adjust for
us ,especially if increases in living standards lead people to
demand more consumer goods like cars, meat and smart phones.
 Deforestation
is the permanent destruction of forests in order to make the land
available for other uses.
 Pollution
the presence in or introduction into the environment of a
substance or thing that has harmful or poisonous effects.
 Climate Change
any significant long-term change in the expected patterns of
average weather of a region (or the whole Earth) over a significant
period of time. Climate change is about abnormal variations to
the climate, and the effects of these variations on other parts of
the Earth.
 Harvey (2005) noted the neoliberals and
environmentalists debate the impact of free trade on
the environment . Environmentalist argue that
environment issues should be given priority over
economic issues (Antonio 2007).
(We have already wasted and destroyed vast amounts of natural resources,
and in so doing have put earth at risk. We must preserve the earth for
our children and grandchildren. In any case, poverty and environmental
damage are often linked. Destroying the rainforest gives native peoples
nowhere to go except urban slums. Polluted water can lead to crop
failures. Climate change will turn fertile fields into desert and flood
coastal areas where hundreds of millions live. Developing countries
have to choose sustainable development if they want a future for their
people. )
Neoliberalism is a policy model—
bridging politics, social studies, and
economic that seeks to transfer
control of economic factors to the
private sector from the public sector. It
tends towards free-market capitalism
and away from government spending,
regulation, and public ownership.
The kyoto protocol aimed at a reduction of global
carbon emissions, but failed to take off largely
because it was not ratified by the united states
( Armitage ,2005).
 Kyoto Protocol, also known as the Kyoto
Accord, is an international treaty among
industrialized nations that sets mandatory limits
on greenhouse gas emissions. The greenhouse
effect is the warming effect of the sun on
greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, that
act to trap this heat in our atmosphere.
Previous experience in dealing with
environmental issues indicates that global
view of the problem is required . A focus
on specific regions, such as europe,
overlooks impact in their regions. Instead
of dealing with the causes of global
warming , there is some interest in”
technological fixes” such as
geoengineering (Dean,2007)
Chapter 3

Global concerns on the

Environment
 Common types of Calamaties in the
Philippines
A. Earthquake
An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or
temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth, resulting
from the sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere
that creates seismic waves.
According to the Philippines Institute of Volcanology and
Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the Philippines has experienced
106 earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.0 or higher since the
1600’s with the deadliest earthquakes taking place in the last
50 years.
The PHIVOLCS Earthquake Intensity Scale (PEIS) is the
scale being in used in measuring Philippine Earthquakes.
 PHIVOLCS
Earthquake
Intensity Scale
Intensity
is the gravity of the earth’s
movement with magnitude is the
quantitative measure of the size of
the earthquake or simple the
amount of seismic energy released
at its source or the epicenter.
On April 22, 2019, a 6.1 magnitude
earthquake struck the island of Luzon
in the Philippines, leaving at least 18
dead, 3 missing and injuring at least
256 others.

(Video)
Since earthquake is a natural disaster that the
Philippines cannot avoid but whose impact
can be lessened , the government with its
agencies, such as the Department of Science
and Technology (DOST), (PHIVOLCS),
Office of Civil Defense (OCD), and National
Disaster Risk Reduction Management
Council , works hard to prepare the
citizens. One major operations being
undertaken is for the Big one.
The Big One is the Earthquake that
will originate along the West Valley
Fault running through Bulacan,
Rizal, Metro Manila , Cavite and
Laguna . Based on Geological
history, the interval of movement
of the fault is estimated between
400 to 600 years.
B. Flood
an overflow of water that
submerges land that is usually dry.
In the sense of "flowing water", the
word may also be applied to the
inflow of the tide.
The types of flooding are determined
based on the following:
1. Location: River Flooding,
coastal flooding, and urban
flooding
2. Duration of occurrence:
flashflood and sheet flood
To help protect the citizens and
their properties, the government,
through the Philippines
Atmospheric, Geophysical and
Astronomical Services
Administration (PAG ASA),
introduced a standard flood
warming system.
 C. Tsunami
Is a very high wave usually caused by the
movement of the earth’s crust under the sea.
The most devastating tsunami that
happened in the country was the Moro Gulf
Tsunami which took place on August 17 ,1976
and resulted in an estimated death toll of
8000. It happened past midnight which
caught the people of Sultan Kudarat
unprepared.
D. Tropical Cyclone
is an intense low-pressure system with
minimum sustained winds of 35
kilometers per hour (kph). It develops
over tropical or subtropical waters
where sea surface temperatures are
greater than 26 degrees Celsius (C) .
 Classification of Tropical Cyclones
1. Tropical Depression- maximum sustained wind
speed of 61 kph.
2. Tropical Storm- maximum sustained wind speed
of 62-88 kph.
3. Severe Tropical Storm- maximum wind speed of
89-117 kph.
4. Typhoon- maximum wind speed exceeding 220
kph.
5. Super Typhoon- maximum wind speed exceeding
220 kph.
 Public storm warning
signals (PSWS)
 are given to inform the
people about the strength of
the wind and the amount of
rain they can expect during
storms.
E. Volcanic Eruption

 Located in an area with

subducting plates and trenches ,
the Philippines is prone to volcanic
eruptions.
Classification of Volcanoes
1. Active Volcanoes
These volcanoes erupted within the
last 600 years based on historical
records. A volcano is also considered
active if it erupted within the last
10,000 years according to the
examination of datable materials.
6 active volcanoes in the Philippines
Mayon
Taal
Bulacan
Kanlaon
Pinatubo
Hibok-Hibok
2. Potentially Active
Volcanoes
These volcanoes do not have
a historical record of
eruption and are described
as morphologically young.
Potentially Active Volcanoes
 Mount Amorong Latukan
 Mount Apo Malinao Volcano
 Mount Arayat Mount Malindig
 Mount Balatukan Mandalagan
 Balut (volcano) Mount Mariveles
 Cancajanag Mount Natib
 Corregidor Caldera Mount Panay
 Dakut Mount Santo Tomas
 Mount Isarog Silay (volcano)
 Mount Kalatungan Mount Talinis
 Mount Labo
3. Inactive Volcanoes
these have no record of
eruptions and their
physical form is
weathered by wind and
rain.
Inactive Volcanoes
Agutaya Agutaya
Mount Butung Mount Butung
Diogo Island Diogo Island
Ivuhos Ivuhos
Lake Sampaloc Lake Sampaloc
Mahagnao Volcano Mahagnao Volcano
Malepunyo Mountain Malepunyo Mountain
Range Range
Mount Alu Mount Alu
Disaster Risk Reduction
Management
 According to Republic Act No. 10121 , disaster risk
reduction (DRR) means reducing disaster risks trough
systematic efforts to analyze and manage the casual
factors of disasters through reduced exposures to
hazards, lessened vulnerability of people and
property , wise management of land and the
environment , and improved preparedness for adverse
events.

“ An act strengthening the Philippine Disaster Risk

Reduction and Management System , Providing for the
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
Plan, Appropriating Funds therefore and for other
Under Section 2 of the Law, the state shall “develop ,
promote , and implement a comprehensive National
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan
(NDRRMP) that aims to strengthen the capacity of
the national government and the LGU’s , together
with partner stakeholders, to build the disaster
resilience of communities , and to institutionalize
arrangements and measure for reducing disaster
risks , including projected climate risks, and
enhancing disaster preparedness and response
capabilities at all levels.”
Greenhouse Effect
Is the warning of the Earth’s surface and
the lower atmosphere due to the
occurrence of gases such as water vapor,
methane, nitrous oxide , and carbon
dioxide.
It is natural phenomenon that keeps the
temperature of the Earth well suited to
existing life forms.
 In 1872 , French mathematician Joseph Fourier
discovered that the Earth’s atmosphere traps heat
much like a greenhouse.
 In 1896 Swedish Chemist and Physicist Svante
August Arrhenius said that the Earth’s average
temperature would rise due to the additional
carbon dioxide cause by the burning of fossil fuels.
 In 1958 Charles David Keeling , after consistently
monitoring the carbon dioxide emission in Mauna
Loa, Hawaii , said that carbon dioxide became 35
percent more than it was before the Industrial
Revolution.
Potential Effects of the Increase
in Greenhouse Gases
1. Alter natural and agricultural
ecosystems
2. Human and Animal diseases
3. Change in climate patterns
including intensification of
natural calamities.
Global Warming
Is the increase in the
temperature of the
atmosphere due to natural
causes such as volcanic
eruptions and the variation
of the output of the sun.
The recent cause of global warming points to
human activities such as the release of certain
gases into the atmosphere due to industrial
activities. These gases include carbon dioxide,
methane, nitrous oxide, and halocarbons.
Animals produce carbon dioxide through
respiration, but the major cause of carbon
dioxide emissions today can be traces to be the
burning of fossils fuels such as coal , natural
gas and oil. Add to this the clearing for
agriculture, mining , and other economic
developments.
Methane is another gas contributing to global
warming. Like carbon dioxide, it is naturally
produced by decaying vegetation. It can also be
induced by humans through agriculture, raising of
livestock, use of fossil fuels, and the decomposition
of organic materials in dump sites and landfills.
Nitrous Oxide is produced naturally trough
biological reactions in both soil and water. It can
also be produced by humans trough fertilizer use
and the burning of fossil fuels. The heat trapping
capacity of nitrous oxide is 300 times stronger than
carbon dioxide.
Halocarbons are best at trapping heat,
which have more than 10,000 times the
warming effect of carbon dioxide.
Halocarbons are scarce in nature but have
been widely used in refrigerants, aerosol
propellants, insulation, and cleaning
solvents. They are more known as
chloroflourocarbons or CFCs,
hydrochloroflourocarbons or HCFCs,
and hydroflourocarbons or HFCs.
Effects of Global Warming
Change in the warming patterns and
precipitation patterns of the world.
Change in ecosystems and
biodiversity
Melting of the ice and rise of sea
levels
Intensified tropical cyclones