EDITORIAL - Survival fund

In several countries, climate change is now considered a national security issue, with the risks seen to be worse than the threat posed by terrorism. Policies and measures are being drawn up to deal with the risks, both in the immediate future and for the long term.

In certain parts of the planet, the biggest climate risk is drought, which could threaten food security and fuel armed conflict. In our part of the world, as we have increasingly experienced, the major threats are serious flooding and catastrophic earthquakes.

So far the Philippines has been spared from powerful tsunamis – the type that devastated coastal communities around the Indian Ocean on Dec. 6, 2004 and northeastern Japan last year. But the Philippines is increasingly experiencing weather phenomena that would have been described as “freak” before climate change made bizarre weather occurrences common.

In Metro Manila, residents are getting used to powerful waves coming from Manila Bay even in the absence of a typhoon, and residents are becoming familiar with “storm surges” and “monsoon surges.” Elsewhere in the country, floods are becoming more destructive as watersheds continue to dwindle, with reforestation programs unable to keep pace with the rate of depletion.

Experts have long warned that certain parts of Manila are gradually sinking. The problem is compounded by rising sea levels due to melting glaciers and polar icecaps. Man-made activities are also to blame. Experts have said that Laguna de Bay and other bodies of water are being overwhelmed with fish pens and garbage, leading to catastrophic flooding. As of yesterday, lakeside areas in Laguna de Bay remained under several inches of water, about two weeks after heavy monsoon rains spawned massive flooding. And it’s just the middle of the rainy season.

The government has set aside an initial P1 billion as “People’s Survival Fund” to address problems arising from climate change and natural calamities. The implementing rules are still being drawn up for the utilization of the special fund. Alongside the funding, lifestyle changes are unavoidable if people want to address the challenges posed by climate change.