Lesson 9: Week 17-18

Climate Change
Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, the student will be able to:

 Define climate change;

 Give examples of impacts of climate change;
 Explain the concept of greenhouse gas effect; and
 Evaluate the country’s commitment to international agreements.

What is climate?

Climate is a pattern of weather elements (temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind

pattern, frequency of storms, sunny days, rough or calm seas, etc.) or the “average
weather.”

Climate and the Greenhouse Effect

The greenhouse effect is a natural process that plays a major role in determining
the earth’s average atmospheric temperature and thus its climate. It occurs when the
some of the solar energy absorbed by the earth radiates into the atmosphere as infrared
radiation (heat). As the radiation interacts with molecules of several greenhouse gases in
the air, including water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, it increases
their kinetic energy and warms the lower atmosphere and the earth’s surface.

Greenhouse effect refers to rise in global temperature due to the process by which
the gases in the atmosphere trap the heat coming from the sun that is re- radiated by the
earth’s surface and re-emit it downwards. Because of how they warm our world, these
gases are referred to as greenhouse gases.
Why are greenhouse gases (GHGs) important?

These are naturally occurring gases that keep the Earth comfortably warm enough
for plants and animals to live in at an average temperature of 15o C. They act as a natural
blanket around the earth, trapping heat much like a glass roof of a greenhouse.
Without the greenhouse effect, the Earth’s average surface temperature would be some
30°C colder or approximately -15°C and possibly not warm enough to sustain life.

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How do greenhouse gases influence climate change?

By burning fossil fuels due to industrialization and to sustain our modern lifestyle,
the level of GHGs increase rapidly. The higher the concentration of greenhouse gases in
the atmosphere, the stronger the greenhouse effect making it into enhanced greenhouse
effect.

Green House Gases

GHG Lifetime GWP % Total world

(CO2-e) emissions

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) 5-200 years 1 77%

Methane (CH4) 12 years 21 14%

Nitrous Oxide (N 2O) 114 years 310 8%

Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6) 3,200 years 23,900 <1%

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) 140 to 11,700 <1%

Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) 6,500 to 9,200 <1%

Carbon Tetrafluoride (CF4) 50,000 years

The atmospheric concentrations of CO2, CH4 and N2O increased

to levels unprecedented in at the last 800,000 years. Global GHG emissions (CO2, CH4,
N2O, HFCs, PFCs, and HF6) have grown since pre-industrial times with an increase of
70% between 1970 and 2004 due to human activities.
Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS)

1. Chemicals that potentially deplete the ozone layer

2. Contain Chlorine or Bromine atoms
3. Have a long atmospheric life

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What is climate change?

“A change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that

alters the composition of the global atmosphere which is in addition to natural climate
variability observed over a comparable period of time.” (United Nations Framework result
of human activity.” (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
“A change in the state of the climate that can be identified… by changes in the
mean and/or the variability of its properties, and that persists for an extended period,
typically decades or longer.” (IPCC)
“Climate change is a “change in climate which is attributed directly to human activity
that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural
climate variability observed over comparable time periods.” (United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change [UNFCCC])
Rains come at any time of the year (Example: In Davao City)
 Floods and typhoons occur practically throughout the year
 Temperatures during December and January are in upper 20s to lower 30s

What causes climate change? (Based on the 4th Assessment Report 2007 Findings)
 Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations
of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of
snow and ice and rising global average sea level.
 Global GHGs due to human activities have grown since pre-industrial times, with
an increase of 70% between 1970 and 2004.
 Basically, the production of carbon dioxide molecules that absorb heat and radiate
that heat to the surface of the earth.
 Continued GHG emissions at or above current rates would cause further warming
and induce may changes in the global climate system during the 21st century that
would very likely be larger than those observed during the 20th century.
Such as…
1. Burning of fossil fuels by transport vehicles
2. Burning of fossil fuels (gasoline, diesel, coal, crude oil) to generate electricity

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 3. Destruction of rainforests

What are the impacts on the world around us?

• Biodiversity loss.
1. increases in average global temperature (global warming)
2. changes in cloud cover and precipitation particularly over land
3. Disappearing habitat
4. Changing ecosystem
5. Acidifying oceans
6. 20-30% of species globally at high risk of extinction
7. Coral bleaching that will result to dead reef ecosystem
8. Arctic sea ice is shrinking
9. Sea level rise results to salt water intrusion Increased coastal erosion
displacement

• Threats to people around the World

[Link] frequent and dangerous extreme weather

[Link] in wildfires (Amazon, Africa, Australia and Cordillera)
[Link] flooding (worldwide)
[Link]
[Link] heat waves
[Link] and erupting of volcanoes
[Link] intense hurricanes
[Link] soil erosion
[Link] water in many water scarce regions;
[Link] demand for energy for space cooling because of higher summer
temperatures
[Link] crop yields in tropical areas leading to an increased risk of hunger

• Threats to human health

[Link]
[Link] of insect-borne diseases
[Link] respiratory illnesses
[Link] of disease like malaria and dengue
[Link] increased risk of extinction of 20 to 30 % of all plant and animal species
[Link] air quality - Higher emission of hydrocarbons, volatile organic
compounds Ground-level ozone, smog Asthma attacks, worsens breathing
problems

What are the likely effects of climate change?

Climate research and worst-case climate model projections indicate that rising
atmospheric temperatures will likely lead to the following effects within this century:

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  Floods in low-lying coastal cities from a rise in sea levels
 More severe drought
 More intense and longer-lasting heat waves
 More destructive storms and flooding
 Forest loss and increased forest fires
 Extinction of species
 Changes in the where we can grow food.
These effects will likely reduce food security and increase poverty and social
conflict in many poorer nations that are the least responsible for atmospheric warming
and the least able to deal with its harmful consequences.
Miller. G.T. and Spoolman, S. (2019). Environmental Science. 16 th Ed. Cengage. Boston,
MA.

Major impacts of climate change in the Philippines

Increase in temperature. Key Impacts include increased Heat stress, risks to

biodiversity, increase in energy demand, risk to water security (quality/availability) and
risk to food security.

Increased Extreme Rainfall. Key impacts include risks to flooding, risks of

landslide, risks to urban drainage, and transport disruption.

Strong Cyclones. Key impacts include more intense tropical cyclones, pose risks
to national infrastructure and to poorly designed houses, risk to transport and
communication disruption, and risk to agriculture food security.

Sea Level Rise. Key impacts include coastal inundated areas will have a wider
extent inland due to storm surges.

Climate change is as much a social and moral issue as it is an environmental issue.

Its far-reaching effects will touch all of us in some way. The Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) a group of over 2,500 leading scientists from around the world
are now predicting a rise in globally-averaged temperatures by the end of this century.
With these changes in temperatures, scientists are predicting that we Filipinos will
experience more extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, and heat waves,
earthquakes further water shortages and more intense bushfires.

The IPCC Fourth Assessment Report stated that it is now very likely that most of
the observed increase in globally-averaged temperatures in the last 50 years is
attributable to human activities.

The current climate change that the world is experiencing has historically been
caused by those wealthy countries as they have developed and controlled much of poor
countries’ economies. However, the people who stand to lose the most are people in

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impoverished countries like us in the Philippines, who have historically contributed least
to the problem. Furthermore, we lack the financial resources to cope adequately with the
problem. The deep injustice of wealthy countries’ actions and the disproportionate effect
to poor countries will have a great impact on its people. Thus, it requires a moral and
ethical response.

Climate change is becoming increasingly common in Philippines resulting in a

huge effect and damages in agriculture sector in various parts of the country. Climate
change and its effects showed considerable variability across the world. It is considered
as the most critical global challenge of the century, which predicted that the global
temperatures will increase further between 1.4 and 5.8°C by 2100. However, most of the
poorest countries and their people are likely to suffer the earliest because of their low
adaptive capacity and dependence on agriculture, which is highly reliant on climatic
factors. Agriculture and food security are key sectors for intervention under climate
change. Agricultural production is highly vulnerable even to 2°C (lowend) predictions for
global mean temperatures, with major implications for rural poverty and for both rural and
urban food security.

Moreover, climate change will hinder agricultural productivity growth. It is expected

to change agricultural productivity by affecting cropping calendars, yield quality and
levels, the proliferation of pests and incidence of diseases, livestock and fisheries
production, and infrastructure. Despite all this, the Philippine Government has taken
major steps in addressing climate change vulnerability and impacts through an ambitious
policy and institutional framework that focuses on food security, resilience building, and
disaster risk reduction. It is seen that by 2050 climate change and variability is estimated
to cost the Philippine economy approximately PHP 26 billion yearly. In fact, the Philippine
Government crafted the National Framework Strategy on Climate Change. It is committed
towards ensuring and strengthening the adaptation of natural ecosystems and human
communities to climate change. In the process, the Framework aspires to chart a cleaner
development path for the Philippines, highlighting the mutually beneficial relationship
between climate change mitigation and adaptation. As a matter of principle, the
Framework aggressively highlights the critical aspect of adaptation meant to be translated
to all levels of governance alongside coordinating national efforts towards integrated
ecosystem-based management which shall ultimately render sector's climate-resilient. As
the world stands at the threshold of an important juncture in the history of the planet and
the international community grapples for a lasting global solution to the climate crisis, the
threats to humans and nature have become unprecedented. The international community
stands at a point where even the most aggressive and immediate actions to mitigate
climate change will not stop the impacts at least for the next half of this century. While
deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions may buy time for human and natural systems to
adapt in the decades ahead, human and natural systems have begun to reel from the
unfolding impacts. The aim of this national process is to build a roadmap that will serve
as the basis for a national program on climate change and establish an agenda upon
which the Philippines would pursue a dynamic process of determining actions through the
National Climate Change Action Plan process.

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In the Philippines, the most affected sectors are agriculture, water, health, biodiversity,
ecosystems, power and energy, and others.

What could be the possible adaptation methods?

Climate Change Adaptation - response to climate change that seeks to reduce

the vulnerability of social and biological systems to climate change effects.
Disaster Risk Reduction - systematic approach to identifying, assessing and
reducing the risks of disaster

What are the possible adaptation measures?

1. Legislative Proposals: (Framework)

• The achievement of significant increase in renewable energy-based capacity as

follows:
–50% from 2008 to 2013; and
–50 % from 2013 to 2020
• The identification of the most vulnerable communities / areas to the extreme
impacts of climate change;
• The conduct of local risk and vulnerability assessments for the purpose of
identifying options and selecting appropriate adaptation measures for adoption as
joint priority projects of the national and local governments
• Research, development and extension initiatives;
• Local database development and vulnerability assessment;
• Capacity building for DENR, other national agencies, and their regional
counterparts;
• Training of vulnerable communities;
• Facilitation of local adaptation programs for priority vulnerable areas and
communities;
• Promotion of incentive schemes, rules and regulations for accelerated preferential
use of renewable energy sources; and
• Advocacy for and monitoring of the inclusion of climate risk management costs in
the national and local plans, budgets and permitting systems of relevant
government offices

2. Climate Change Commission

• monitor the implementation of the Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999;
• recommend legislation, policies, programs and budgets on global warming or
climate change adaptation and mitigation;
• disseminate climate change information to the general public and to the
government;
• represent the Philippine Government in all international and regional meetings,
conferences and/or conventions concerning climate change; and
• keep under review all unratified international environmental treaties

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3. Fiscal incentives for greenhouse gas emission reduction and carbon sequestration
projects and activities
• tax [free] and importation of machinery, equipment and materials;
• tax credit on domestic capital equipment;
• real estate tax exemption;
• value-added tax exemption; and.
• income tax holiday and exemption.

What could be the possible mitigation methods?

Climate Change Mitigations - actions to limit the magnitude and/or rate of long-
term CC

What are the possible mitigation measures?

1. Energy
• improve energy efficiency and conservation;
• modernizing utilities;
• reducing losses in transmission and distribution; and
• use of renewable energy sources.

2. Agriculture
• reducing methane emissions in rice cultivation;
• providing training and dissemination of information on mitigating methane
emissions;
• improving water management;
• improving collection, use and storage of organic waste; and
• using animal waste for energy production.

3. Land-Use Change and Forestry

• conserving existing forest cover;
• preventing and controlling forest fires;
• creating low-impact logging; and
• improving timber utilization.

4. Waste Management
• minimizing waste at the production, distribution, consumption and disposal stages;
• recycling waste;
• improving organic waste collection, utilization and storage systems;
• improving waste water treatment; and
• using waste for energy production.

Strategies for Agricultural Resiliency against Climate Change

In order to address these future challenges, the Department of Agriculture of

Region XI should intensify its program approaches on climate change adaptation. This
may include protection and enhancement of ecosystem services to secure food and water

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resources and livelihood opportunities to the whole Davao Region community. This may
also include the following strategic approaches to be prioritized in programming climate
change adaptation:
1. Strengthen convergence strategies with other agencies like the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources to reduce climate change risks and vulnerability of
natural ecosystems and biodiversity through ecosystem-based management
approaches, conservation efforts, and sustainable ENR based economic endeavors such
as ecotourism.
2. Increase the resilience of agriculture communities through the development of
climate change sensitive technologies, establishment of climate-proof agricultural
infrastructure and climate-responsive food production systems, and provision of support
services to the most vulnerable communities.
3. Improve climate change resiliency with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources through the restoration of fishing grounds, stocks and habitats and investment
in sustainable and climate change-responsive fishing technologies and products.
4. Expand investments in aquaculture and in other food production areas.
5. Strengthen the crop insurance system as an important risk sharing mechanism
to implement weather-based insurance system.
6. Strengthen sustainable, multi-sectoral and community-based resource
management mechanisms.
7. Link with the academic institution to establish a concrete programming through
inclusion of the Climate Smart Farm Business in schools, colleges and university’s
curriculum.

What needs to be done?

We need to change the way we use energy, travel and do our daily chores
1. Practice Green Economy
2. Respect, Rethink, Replenish and Restore
3. Strict implementation of environmental laws
4. Amend/Repeal irrelevant laws
5. Our environmental, economic, political, social, and spiritual challenges are
interconnected, and together we can forge inclusive solutions.

The global response to the climate change crisis will define humanity in the 21st
century.

References:

Asuncion D. Merilo, M. G. 2001. Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Strategies: The Philippine

Experience. Workshop on Good Practice Policies and Measures, Copenhagen,
Denmark.
Capili, E., A. Ibay, and J. Villarin. 2005. "Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation on
Philippine Coasts". Paper presented at the International Oceans 2005 Conference.
19-23 September 2005, Washington D.C., USA.

Torrentira, Moises Jr. C. Course Module GE Elective: Environmental Science 99 | page

Department of Energy. 2005. “Renewable Energy: Energy Resources”. Online. Accessed
18 September 2008. Available at: [Link]
Habito, C.F. 2002. Climate Change and National Development. A presentation made at
the Meeting on Climate Change and National Development in the Philippines, held
on November 8, 2002 at the Justitia Room, Ateneo Professional Schools, Rockwell
Center, Makati City, Philippines.
Lasco, R. D., R. V. Gerpacio, M. R. N. Banaticla and A. G. Garcia. 2007. Vulnerability of
Natural Ecosystems and Rural Communities to Climate Change: An Assessment
of Philippine Policies and their Impacts.
Perez, R.T., L.A. Amadore and R.B. Feir. 1999. “Climate Change Impacts and Responses
in the Philippine Coastal Sector”. Climate Research. Vol. 12: 97-107
United Nations. 2007. Philippines 2006 Typhoon Appeal. Geneva, United Nations
Javier, S., Palicte C. M., Seguiro, A., and Torrentira, M. (2018). Climate change
adaptation strategies of the Department of Agriculture in Davao Region,
Philippines. International Journal of Scientific Research and Engineering
Development. Vol. 1, Issue 2 pp 198-201.

Learning Activity Due on December 18, 2020

Evaluative Essay: (Paris Agreement on Climate Change)

At the Paris climate conference in 2015, countries adopted an international

agreement to address climate change that requires deeper emissions reduction
commitments from all countries—developed and developing. The agreement aims to limit
global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius while making best efforts to keep it to 1.5
degrees Celsius. Prior to the conference, countries responsible for 97 percent of global
emissions submitted their climate commitments prior to the conference. These
commitments have been enshrined in over 160 countries with domestic ratification,
acceptance, or approval. The agreement, which entered into force on November 4, 2016,
contains provisions to hold countries accountable to their commitments and mobilize
greater investments to assist developing countries in building low-carbon, climate-
resilient economies.
While the Paris Agreement does not “solve” climate change, it is a critical inflection
point. It brings us much closer to a safer climate trajectory and creates an ambitious path
forward for decades to come. Countries have put forth an agreement that helps
strengthen national action by ensuring that the current commitments are the floor—not
the ceiling—of ambition. The agreement will also help spur greater action by cities, states,
provinces, companies, and financial institutions. The Paris Agreement has created a
virtuous cycle of increased ambition over time.

Source: [Link]

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 Full Content of the Paris Agreement may be downloaded on the following link:
[Link]

Or you may scan the QR Code below using your android/IOS phone for automatic access
of the document.

Questions:

1. What is the commitment of the Philippines to the Paris Climate Agreement? (you
may search in the internet for other details)
2. What should be the first step of the Philippine government to materialize this
commitment?
3. What do you think is the responsibility of developed countries in augmenting
climate change?

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