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Climate change and its effects on Philippine Flora and Fauna

The Philippines has tons and tons of species within its flora and fauna. Some are common, but most
are rare. The Philippines is beauty itself wherein its ecosystem is full of flourishing species in which they are
continually interacting with one another whether through commensalism, predation, or parasitism. Each
specie is one of its kind and has its own role in the Philippine ecosystem. Remove one and it will create a
chain reaction that will disrupt the whole ecosystem. That’s why each and every one of the species of the
Philippines are important towards a functioning ecosystem yet climate change will destroy each and every
one of them.

Before we go to the problem itself, we need to discuss climate change first. According to Cambridge
Dictionary, Climate Change is the changes in the world’s weather, in particular to the fact that it is believed
to be getting warmer as a result of human activity increasing the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
It warms the planet as a result of increasing human activities that helps the growth of greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere. As stated by Britannica Encyclopedia, greenhouse gases are the gases which has the property of
absorbing infrared radiation emitted from the Earth’s surface and radiating it back to Earth’s surface.
Concentrations of greenhouse gases have varied substantially during Earth’s history, and these variations have
driven substantial climate changes at a wide range of timescales. In general, greenhouse gas concentrations
have been particularly high during warm periods and low during cold periods.

“The presently observed significant upward trend in global atmospheric temperature is heavily
influenced and expedited by the release of harmful substances into the atmosphere as a byproduct of day-to-
day human activity. Climate change is causing direct and indirect effects on life in both terrestrial and aquatic
territories” (Foundation for the Philippine Environment, n.d.). Truly, climate change affects each and every
species including us, humans. But the flora and fauna of our country is deemed to be more affected than it is
to be. While human beings continue to add the harmful substances in the atmosphere, the flora and fauna
of every nation is at risk. Climate change is also a cause of the ever-evolving weather patterns that disrupts
the growth and behavior of the land-based plants and animals. It also causes the frequent instances of extreme
weather such as super typhoons and heat waves that tend to destroy not only the habitat of such species but
also their food supplies. Moreover, the acidification of the oceans of our country is continually rising together
with its warming. Due to this, animals and plants in the ocean are slowly dying and are losing its food sources.

The ecosystem of the Philippines will be greatly affected by global warming. According to Tacio
(2010), Mangrove Forests that serves as sanctuaries and feeding grounds for fishes could also be lost as well.
This will increase the damage typhoons and storms will brought upon to us because the forests which acts
as a buffer of a coastal zone stabilizer will be gone. Furthermore, Coral Reefs, the tropical rainforests of the
sea, are also at risk of coral bleaching. Endemic species such as the Philippine Eagle, Tamaraw, Calamian
Deer, Philippine Tarsier, and the Cebu Black Shama, are also at risk of extinction due to the climatic zone
shifts, wherein national parks or areas that can preserve the habitat of plants and animals alike will no longer
be able to keep up with the temperature change that they are currently experiencing.

“Climate change is a global challenge that has no borders and to combat it requires coordinated work
by all countries” (Acciona, n.d.). Climate change doesn’t just affect a single country, it affects the world as a
whole. It needs our combined effort to counter this Earth threatening problem. We need to act as one to
address this problem. The severe typhoons, droughts, and heat waves are just the start of this problem. Who
knows, maybe in a hundred years from now, it will be the humans’ turn in extinction. Be scared. Be very
scared.

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1. Different Factors that contribute to environmental impact affecting human activities

Human activities are deemed to be one of the causes of climate change and global warming. It is
due to the greenhouse gases, aerosols, and cloudiness. According to Europa Environment Agency (n.d.),
The largest known contributor of greenhouse gases is the burning of fossil fuels which releases carbon
dioxide to the atmosphere. This fossil fuels are used by humans in their daily activities such as driving a
vehicle.

There are different factors that contribute to environmental impact due to human activities.
According to Interesting Engineering (2016), one such factor is the overpopulation of humans. With the
increasing population of humans comes the increasing demand on food and other supplies. People will
continue and not stop on depleting the Earth’s scarce supply which includes forest trees. Pollution is also
one of the factors that contributes to the degradation of our environment. Nowadays, pollution is
everywhere. Factories and cars are belching smoke alike. People throwing trashes at every side walk.
Pollution is also rampant in the oceans. Countries often dumps their trash in the ocean at a rate of over 8
million tons a year, which is a very alarming rate. Deforestation is a very serious matter. Forests in the
Philippines are continually being depleted with no replacement for cut trees.
 Since the start of the Industrial Revolution during the 18th century, there had been a continual rise
of global temperature. With the rise of temperature comes the various effects that is tolled upon us. One
such effect is the destruction of the habitat of animals and natural parks alike. Another effect is the
continual rise in global temperature which is honestly, a very bad thing. Humans, animals, plants, and
every other living thing will be closer to extinction than you think, because some species find it hard to
adapt to the ever-changing environment.

We are the stewards of the Earth. We alone have the rationality and morals in determining what is
right or wrong, but for the sake of our Earth and the sake of the future generation, please do the right
thing. Do not deplete our already scarce resources for your own ambitious ambitions. It does not only
belong to one people but it belongs to ALL people in the world. Please care for nature. Thank you.