Happy Feet 2 and climate change

Have you noticed how many people are easily getting sick these days? I have encountered several friends who have hoarse voices without a true cold, cough or sore throat syndrome. Blame it on too much talking but this is very unusual. The November and December ‘breeze’ seems to have something to do with this and mind you, it isn’t even freezing cold in this country. Somehow, our bodies have become quite sensitive to mild changes in the atmosphere. Well, I don’t even know if this is due to the heavy pollution in the metro or to climate change or a combination of both.

Whatever the case may be, something is wrong. It is not too late to improve the conditions besetting our immediate environment and mother earth.

A few weeks ago I watched the premiere showing of Happy Feet 2. My cousin Francis “Bookie” Soliven, General Manager of Warner Brothers, Philippines gave me free tickets. My children and I enjoyed the movie. It was very cute and funny especially for the kids but for the adult mind, it gives us a warning, a red alert on the effect that climate change has on the environment. I hope more people get to watch it as we tend to shrug the problem off our shoulders to the point of denying it exists. Climate change is real and it is very much felt. You better believe it!

* * *

We have been preoccupied with political issues lately and so have ignored the social, cultural and environmental issues we also face. I think we need to pause and take a break from the circus as we have other important issues to worry about.

Right now, we should be more aware of the effects climate change has on our country.

The Philippines has been experiencing temperature spikes brought about by climate change. Hot days and hot nights have become more frequent. Then more recently, we have experienced a sudden shift from hot to cool nights with a combination of sunny and rainy days in the “ber” months.

Statistics show that in the last quarter of the 20th century, the average atmospheric temperature rose by about 1 degree Fahrenheit. By 2000, that increase was responsible for the annual loss of about 160,000 lives and the loss of 5.5 million years of healthy life, according to estimates by the WHO. It is said that the toll is expected to double to about 300,000 lives and 11 million years of healthy life by 2020.

Climate change has already increased ground level ozone in some areas resulting to an increase in respiratory illnesses. Ozone is good when it is up high but it is bad when it is at ground level. At ground level it is an air pollutant that damages human health and vegetation. It is a key ingredient of urban smog. It causes direct reversible lung injury; increases premature mortality; worsens respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases; and may cause lasting lung damage.

Respiratory illness and diarrhea are the two major causes of death in children under the age of 5 in the Philippines. The government has made several attempts to reform its healthcare system with the hope that in so doing the number of deaths caused by these illnesses will be reduced. But what has happened? The rates still continue to go up.

Dengue the leading cause of death in our country a few months ago is caused by climatic variations. Our climate and location is a contributing factor to the propagation of dengue-carrying mosquitoes. In a report conducted by the Development Assistance Research Associates (DARA), it said that higher temperatures and more humid climates caused by climate change favor the growth in the population of insects and vectors that spread diseases.

Another study conducted by the Climate Vulnerability Monitor in 2010 showed that it is not disasters but diseases that cause the most deaths by climate change.

What is the government’s response so far in addressing climate change? Apart from the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals Fund (MDGF) Joint Program entitled “Strengthening the Philippines’ Institutional Capacity to Adapt to Climate Change,” the government should put more importance and effort into the prevention and control of climate-related diseases and enhance the DOH’s capacity for early warning of any outbreak. Perhaps they can start with the LGUs in strengthening their initiatives on disease and health surveillance, enhance its awareness campaign activities on climate-sensitive diseases, not only dengue but including pulmonary infections, malaria, cholera, heatstroke, and skin infections.

In its report DARA revealed that there are large gaps in the Philippine government’s climate-change adaptation policies, including health. Perhaps it is time we identify what these gaps are and work towards a solution to the problem.

The Philippines is facing the real impacts of climate change. In the document entitled, Climate Change in the Philippines, it is stated that a warmer world is certain to impact on systems and sectors. In areas or regions where rainfall is projected to decrease, there will be water stress both in quantity and quality. Drier periods and warmer temperatures could cause forest fires, a threat to communities that largely depend on ecological services provided by forests. Agriculture in the country could be severely affected by temperature changes coupled with changes in rain regimes and patterns. Crops have been shown to suffer decreases in yields that results in inadequate job opportunities and lead to migration and shifts in population. Food security will be largely affected. Coastal resources are highly vulnerable due to its extensive coastline. A dramatic rise in sea levels could flood coastal regions and cause widespread crop failures. Not to mention floods caused by deforestation.

It is important for those involved in solving this problem to have a good understanding of future changes in climate and how these will affect the country in the future. Our leaders must not have an oversight of the real situation initiate better public awareness programs.

Top Priority: We need to clean our air – it is very dirty. As it is now there are many Filipinos (young and old) suffering from upper respiratory problems. Soon we will all have difficulty breathing. Shall we continue to procrastinate? Will companies continue to abuse the environment all for the sake of money? Think about it!

(There will be a conference on: Children & Climate Change, 2nd Asian Children’s Museum Conference on February 2-4, 2012 in Manila Hotel. For more information call 523-1791/ 523-1798 or email <[email protected]>)