DENR to Pinoys: Join Earth Hour tonight

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) yesterday called on Filipinos to join the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)’s Earth Hour from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. today, as part of global efforts to protect the planet and fight climate change.

The DENR also enjoined its regional and field offices, bureaus and attached agencies nationwide to switch off their lights for one hour.

An initiative of the WWF, Earth Hour is a global movement held annually, encouraging individuals, communities and businesses to turn off non-essential electrical lights for one hour on the last Saturday of March, as a symbol of commitment to the planet.

The one-hour lights off action significantly lowers energy consumption, thus reducing carbon emission and harmful greenhouse gases, whose biggest source is electricity.

According to the DENR, regional offices have lined up other Earth Hour activities including posting infographics of the event, inviting high schools, universities and colleges to participate and for netizens to post their Earth Hour photos on the agency’s Facebook pages with a short description of their experience.

“Aside from these, the DENR urged Filipinos to support WWF’s invitation to go an extra mile and give an hour for Earth or to spend 60 minutes doing something or anything positive for Earth to raise awareness on the climate crisis,” it added.

It said these include watching documentary or educational films on environmental issues, such as the WWF Entangled Series of three-minute videos on biodiversity loss, deep seabed mining, planet plastic, nature-based solution and other topics; listening to podcasts or talks of the WWF, British Broadcasting Corp. and TED Talks and joining Earth Hour events near them.

At the same time, the DENR reminded the public to properly manage their solid waste as it is also a source of greenhouse gases.

“Proper waste disposal and reducing, reusing and recycling will cut down waste and pollution from homes, schools, offices and the manufacturing sector,” it added.

The Philippines’ Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) has committed to a projected reduction and avoidance of greenhouse gas emissions of 75 percent from 2020 to 2030 for the agriculture, transport, energy, waste, industry and forestry sectors, of which the last three are sectors from the DENR.

The NDC is the country’s action plan to help achieve the goal of the Paris Agreement to limit the rise in global temperature to below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, temperatures in Metro Manila may soar to a sizzling 37.9 degrees next month over the dry season, according to state forecasters.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the temperature max range in the National Capital Region will be around 35.9 to 37.9 degrees Celsius.

PAGASA forecasters said that temperatures could peak at 40 degrees Celsius in parts of Northern Luzon.

The actual heat index, or human discomfort index – the temperature felt by the body relative to high humidity – may be about two degrees higher.

PAGASA said that extreme caution should be taken in these temperature ranges.

The agency warned that high temperatures could have adverse effects on the body, such as fatigue, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

From March 1 to yesterday, the highest heat index recorded by PAGASA was 46 degrees Celsius in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro last March 17.

It also urged the public to conserve water, especially as there is a higher probability that El Niño could develop from July to September.

PAGASA said the easterlies are currently affecting the eastern sections of Southern Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. Metro Manila and the rest of the country may see partly cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers due to the easterlies and localized thunderstorms. – Romina Cabrera, Rhodina Villanueva