by Manila Bulletin
In less than a month, a new administration will take the reins of the country. We would know by then the direction of the next president’s agenda, which will shape the future of this nation. As of the moment, there are still no announcements with regards to the environment team that will lead the various agencies related to the use and upkeep of our country’s natural resources. This is something that is much awaited especially by the scientific community.
A few days ago, members of the academe, the scientific community, and concerned citizens called on the next administration to “prioritize and take urgent action on the climate emergency.”
“With the impacts of climate change affecting more and more Filipinos year on year, the group is hoping for the climate emergency agenda to be part of the next administration’s priority programs,” according to a statement also released by The Climate Reality Project Philippines, a group of climate advocates who share a vision of a better reality for the country and the world.
The call, first posted last April 24, 2022, two weeks ahead of this year’s election, makes a case for the integration of a climate emergency agenda alongside national plans and priorities in anticipation of how a harsher and less predictable climate will exacerbate existing problems in poverty, food security, economic recovery, and disaster mitigation, among others.
As one of the countries with the richest forest biodiversity in the world and where the majority of the population live along coasts, it is important for the next administration to ensure that biodiversity conservation be strengthened, and management of coastal resources must be sustainable.
Incidentally, tomorrow, June 5, is World Environment Day. Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), it has been held annually on June 5 since 1973. This is the “largest global platform for environmental public outreach and is celebrated by millions across the world.” The slogan used for this event annually is #OnlyOneEarth.
In a statement from UNEP, the slogan stresses that we have “only one earth.” “In the universe are billions of galaxies; in our galaxy are billions are planets; but there is only one earth, so let’s take care of it.” It also lists down the “triple planetary emergencies” that we are currently facing and what must be addressed immediately: “First, the climate is heating up too quickly for people and nature to adapt; second, habitat loss and other pressures mean an estimated one million species are threatened with extinction; and last, pollution continues to poison our air, land, and water.”
To address these concerns, the UNEP advised governments all over the world that the “way out of this dilemma is to transform economies and societies to make them inclusive, fair, and more connected with nature.” It stressed: “We must shift from harming the planet to healing it.”
Amid the dire news on our planet, there are solutions and technology that exist to address various climate-related challenges. One of the most urgent, according to climate experts, is to keep global warming below 1.5-degree Celcius. “Time is running out and nature is in emergency mode. We must halve annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Without action, exposure to air pollution beyond safe guidelines will increase by 50 percent within the decade and plastic waste flowing into aquatic ecosystems will nearly triple by 2040. We need urgent action to address these pressing issues, making ‘Only One Earth’ and its focus on living sustainably in harmony with nature, as pertinent as ever.”
The next administration, then, must be prudent and practical to study the entire spectrum of climate change in the context of experts and reliable data. Whoever will implement the president’s environment agenda must ensure to get the support and cooperation of individuals and civil society who are green advocates, awareness raisers, and sustainability supporters.
The UNEP has said that “the more we raise our voices, emphasize what needs to be done, and point out who is responsible, the faster change will come.” This is what is needed in the days to come. As long as green advocates raise their voices to be heard by the next administration, the green agenda will not be forgotten or left on the sidelines.
