Climate change poses serious threats to the Philippines that will disproportionately impact the poor and vulnerable. The document discusses observed changes like rising temperatures and sea levels. While some responses have emerged, the Philippine government shares responsibility for environmental degradation through policies prioritizing private profits over people. Genuine solutions must recognize climate change's social and economic roots, and place the welfare of people and the environment above all other concerns.

1. CLIMATE CHANGE AND
THE PHILIPPINE CRISIS !
Philppine Climate Watch Alliance
June 2012

2. Introduction
1. The Reality of Climate Change
2. Projected changes and its impacts
3. Causes of change
4. Climate change in the Philippines
5. Responses to climate change

3. The reality of climate change
Observed changes in climate

4.
!
1. Life on earth
depends on,
is shaped by
and affects
climate. !

5. Climate system diagram!

7.
!
2. Warming of
the climate is
unequivocal. !

8. Temperature rise!
Average global
temperature
increased by 0.74
degrees Celsius
between 1906 and
2005. !
In its 2007
Assessment, IPCC
predicted an
additional rise of
1.8–4.0 degrees
Celsius this century,
depending on how
much and how soon
greenhouse gas
emissions are
curbed. !
!

9. Sea level rise!
Sea levels across
the globe have
risen in a way
consistent with the
warming – since
1961 at an average
of 1.8 mm per year,
and since 1993 at
3.1 mm per year.
The total global rise
in the 20th century
amounted to 17 cm.!
!

10. Melting snow and ice!
Decreases in snow
and ice extent are
also consistent with
warming. Satellite
data recorded since
1978 show the
annual average
Arctic sea ice extent
has shrunk by 2.7
per cent each
decade, with larger
decreases in
summer. Mountain
glaciers and
average snow cover Minimum
arc*c
sea-­‐ice
extent
from
1979
to
2007
have declined in
both hemispheres.!

11. Extreme
weather
events
From 1900 to 2005
precipitation (rain,
sleet and snow)
increased
significantly in parts
of the Americas,
northern Europe
and northern and
central Asia, but
declined in the
Sahel, the
Mediterranean,
southern Africa and
parts of southern
Asia. !
! Increasing Strength and frequency of Typhoons
(Category 4/5)!
Source:
Science
Magazine,
Sep
16,
2005

12.
!
3. Human
activities are
impacting the
climate
system. !

13. Surging GHG emissions !

16. Projected change and its impacts

17.
!
4. Climate
change will
have
consequences
for the earth
system and
human lives.!

21. Causes of change
Unequal histrorical responsibilities

22.
!
5. It is the rich
and
industrialized
nations who
have emitted
most GHG in
the
atmosphere.!

23. • Top 25 GHG
emitters account
for an estimated
80% of global
emissions.!
• Top 7 emitters
accounted for
52% of the 185
nations’
emissions.!
• In 2000, the US
emitted 19% of
the world total,
followed by China
with 14%; !
• No other country 2000 GHG Emissions!
reached 6%!

24. • In terms of
historical
emissions,
industrialize
d countries
where less
than 20% of
the total
world
population
lives
account for
80% of the
CO2 buildup
in the
atmosphere
to date.! 1850-2000 GHG Emissions!

26. Consumption of energy and fuels!
• COAL: The top 25 GHG
emitting countries account for
approx 92% of global coal
consumption, production, and
known reserves. 5 countries
account for 3/4 of worldwide
consumption. !
• OIL: The top 25 GHG emitting
countries account for 78% of
oil consumption, 61% of
production, and 51% of known
oil reserves.!
• NATURAL GAS: The top 25
GHG emitters account for 77%
of global consumption, 67% of
production, and 58 % of gas
reserves. !
!

29.
!
6.The ecological
crisis is indeed
historical and
linked with the
current global
economic
crisis. !

30. Historical context!
• Unprecedented rise in
GHG production and
concentration on the
onset of capitalist
system!
• Industrial revolution!
• Modern technology!
• Intensive use of
machines and fossil
fuels for
transportation, trade
and energy. !

31. • Almost half the world — over three
billion people — live on less than
$2.50 a day.!
Great and exciting
• 1.6 billion people — a quarter of
humanity — live without electricity! advances!
• Nearly a billion people entered the • Information technology,
21st century unable to read a book automation, genetics and
or sign their names!
• 1.4 million die each year from lack
medicine!
of access to safe drinking water Greatest challenges!
and adequate sanitation!
• According to UNICEF, 25,000 • Famine and hunger, rapid
children die each day due to ecological destruction,
poverty.! breakdown of health
• In 2005, the wealthiest 20% of the systems,
world accounted for 76.6% of total
private consumption. The poorest social decay
fifth just 1.5%:! and
• About 0.13% of the world’s disintegration!
population controlled 25% of the
world’s financial assets in 2004.! !
• For every $1 in aid a developing
country receives, over $25 is
spent on debt repayment!

32. Characteristics of production of
Corporate Capitalism !
• The goal: to maximize
short-term private financial
profits !
• Anarchic !
• Wasteful and pollutive!
• Monopoly on production,
resources, capital!
• Division of the world –
market, raw materials and
war!
!

33. MNCs and the exploitation of natural resources
in developing countries!

34. Transnational corporations!
• 1998, 4 out of the 11 biggest
producers of oil are TNCs (BP
Amoco-Arco, Exxon Mobil, Royal
Dutch Shell at Chevron-Texaco). !
• 2005, oil TNCs like British
Petroleum, Exxon Mobil, Shell Dutch
controls 18% of global oil reserves!
• 2004, the 10 biggest oil TNCs in the
US control around 55% of the oil
production while the top 50 controls
77%!
• 2006, Exxon Mobil Corporation
reported — TNC having the biggest
GHG emission in the world (150
million tons-6th largest if it were a
country ) – and a net profit of $39.5
billion from gross income of $377.6
billion !
• TNCs owns the biggest agricultural
plantations, logging corporations,
large dams, energy plants, etc..!

35. System in crisis!
Extraction -> Production -> Distribution -> Consumption -> Disposal!

36. Climate change in the Philippines

37.
7. It is the poor
!
and
marginalized
people who are
most
vulnerable and
affected by the
impacts of
climate
change.!

38. Human Resources!
• 92.2 M population (2009 est.)!
• 27.6 M or 33/100
poor Filipinos !
• 4.7 M or 24/ 100 poor
families!
• PhP 6,274 monthly income of
Filipino family of five to stay out of
poverty!
• 71. 4 % Self rated poverty (Oct
2009 by Ibon National Opinion Survey!

39. Income distribution!

40. Poverty incidence among the basic sector!

41. • Poor countries like the
Philippines are vulnerable to
enhanced hazards due to
climate change!
• Already a disaster-prone
country!
• 12th country in the world most
at risk to disasters UNISDR!
• Destroyed environment!
• Lack of financial, institutional
and technological capacity and
access to knowledge!
• Exacerbates inequities in
health status and access to
adequate food, clean water
and other resources.!

42. 6th most vulnerable in the world!

43. Most vulnerable in Southeast Asia!

44. Climate Change in the Philippines!
• From 27 typhoons during the period 2000-2003, the
number ominously increased to 39 from 2004-2007!
• The typhoons are getting stronger and stronger,
especially since the late 1990s. Typhoon signal no. 4 is a
fairly recent category.!
• Total damages brought about by typhoons increased by
408% from 2003 to 2006!
• Seven of the 20 deadliest typhoons in the Philippines
covering the period 1947-2006 occurred in 1990-2006!

45. Global warming worsens the
impact of imperialist plunder!
• Under a systerm where profit
is the primary objective of
societal production, the
environment and our
ecosystems are reduced to
being a source of raw
materials and dumping ground
for wastes.!
• Under such a system,
countries which top the list in
terms of profit and industrial
might also become the world's
foremost culprits of
environmental degradation. !
!

46.
8. The Philippine !
government is
largely
responsible for
the
environmental
crisis and lack
of disaster-
preparedness
program in the
country.!

47. Government Initiatives!
• Climate Change Task Force! • EPIRA (privatization of
• Clean Development energy plants and building
Mechanism! of new ones by private
• 1991 Inter-Agency sector) !
Committee on Climate • Philippine Energy Plan
Change! 2005-2014 – building new
• Oct. 29 – Arroyo signed (RA coal power plants and
9729) Climate Change increasing it share in energy
production by 40% !
Commission!
• Others – Mining Act,
• 2009 Climate Change Bill!
Biofuels Act, Clean Air Act,
Joint explorations!

48. Philippine Government!
l Large scale plunder of the
environment!
l Without benefit to the
majority of our people!
l Benefits only a small
segment of society!
l Government policies
aggravates our climate
vulnerability!
l Biofuels Act!
l Oil deregulation law!
l Mining Act 1995!
l EPIRA!
l Forestry Code!
l Neoliberal Globalization!
l Corruption!

49. Responses to climate change

50. 9. Any genuine
move resolve
! the problem of
global
warming must
critically
recognize and
address the
larger socio-
economic
context in
which it
occurs.!
!

51. UNFCCC and KYOTO PROTOCOL!
l 1992:
Interna*onal
agreement
under
the
United
Na*ons
Framework
Conven*on
on
Climate
Change
(UNFCCC)
l reduce
GHG
emissions,
on
average
by
about
5%
between
2008-­‐2012
rela*ve
to
1990
l 1997:
Kyoto
Protocol;
The
flexibility
mechanisms
• Funding
mechanisms
to
assist
developing
countries
l 175
countries
except
US
and
Australia
(Australia
later
signed
on
Kyoto)

53. Conclusion
1. Climate chnge is real.
2. Climate change is not just an environmental
issue but a social justic issue.
3. Historically linked with the the world socio-
economic crisis.
4. Will worsen the Philippine crisis.
5. Inaction is inexcusable.

54. 10. The decisions,
actions and
! solutions
should
primarily
consider and
uphold the
interest an
welfare of the
majority of our
people and
environment.!
!
!

55. Thank you!
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