Global warming threatens to wipe out biodivversity

Environmentalists worldwide agree that global warming is threatening to wipe out biodiversity and even the entire life on Earth, Antonio M. Claparols, president  of the Ecological Society of the Philippines and member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, said.

In the Philippines, Claparols said “El Niño is keeping our farmlands dry, warming our ocean waters and drying up dams. As we debate these issues we continue cutting the little forest we have left we continue to harvest and destroy our coral reefs. The toxic ballast waters brought into our doorsteps by the hundreds of ocean going vessels remained unchecked by our authorities.”

As such, Claparols is urging President Arroyo to look into the “sad and degrading state of the Banaue Rice Terraces, the 8th wonder of the world, a UNESCO-World Heritage Site which is in the danger list. It is a show case for sustainable use and sustainable agriculture that has existed over 3,000 years.”

He added: “Throughout the years, scientists and weather experts have argued that human activities such as oil refining, power plants and automotive emissions are largely to be blamed for global warming. The increased emissions and rising temperatures will have a great impact in certain regions of the world. Some sensitive ecosystems will likely disappear. Forests should see “major species shifts” or major changes in growth patterns.”