Over the past weeks and months, the Philippines has been devastated by the onslaught of record-breaking typhoons pushing Filipinos to the brink of survival. As Bicol was brought to its knees by the strength of Typhoon Rolly and several areas in the National Capital Region were submerged by the floods brought by Typhoon Ulysses, we experienced first-hand the lack of protection from the forces of mother nature. According to the Global Climate Risk Index, the Philippines ranks second in countries most affected by climate change, and, as global temperatures continue to rise, so will natural disasters. In order to mitigate the effects of climate change, we must take the initiative to educate ourselves on the issue to make informed decisions on how to contribute to the efforts in the fight against climate change.
Our world’s climate has grown more extreme through the years. From the widespread wildfires, to droughts, to super-typhoons, we can only expect these phenomena to become more frequent as temperatures continue to rise. Some may claim that climate change is a natural process that shouldn’t concern us; however, unlike before, we are now the main contributors to such changes. We are responsible for the relentless contribution to the climate crisis, and because of lack of concern for the environment, we are now facing the consequences.
What brought the climate crisis to this extent can be attributed to two aspects: (1) a lack of individual awareness and concern and (2) the government’s lack of action. Despite living in this vulnerable country, climate change is rarely discussed and of interest in our community. Many of us are privileged enough to live far from any risk of destruction brought by inclement weather, and we perceive that as a sign that our climate situation is not urgent. Nevertheless, our privilege does not excuse us from being apathetic towards our world’s problems. As part of more stable socio-economic classes, many of us can contribute significantly to our country’s fight against climate change. However, it is the privileged that are apathetic, and the latter to suffer.
Here and for many countries worldwide, many governments also disregard the severity of climate change and continue to ignore its effects. For instance, there are governments claiming climate change to be a hoax despite all the scientific evidence proving otherwise. Although usually seen as harmless, the inaction of many world leaders greatly contributes to the sustenance of the problem. These leaders are the ones responsible for implementing policies to cut carbon emissions and mitigate other sources of global warming; however, all we can observe today is that many prioritize their gain rather than the safety of their people and the protection of our future as the next generation.
Despite the inaction of our leaders in our community, our role in this issue is not a lost cause. We can come together as a community and decide that enough is enough and make an effort to raise awareness about the severity of our climate crisis. We have to start conservations about this and support other activism efforts to push our government to implement mitigating policies. With our privilege, we can donate to several charities supporting efforts against climate change. Lastly, as Filipinos, we have the responsibility to elect leaders who value science over rumors and people over profits. There is only so much our generation can do to prevent a catastrophic future ahead of us; however, it all starts with us and our initiative to do better as a society.
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