by ABIGAIL JABINES

AT NO other time has the science of climate change been more robust than today. At no other time, too, have the impacts of climate change become more apparent and deadly, particularly for vulnerable and developing countries such as the Philippines.

These circumstances have brought about a shift in the discussion on climate change — from the realm of scientists, the academe, and policy makers, it is now taking place in the public arena.  A new challenge for Greenpeace and other environmental groups is to make sure that the Filipino public is engaged and heed the warning against the dangers of climate change.

But how does one simplify the science of climate change while making sure that Filipinos don’t see it as trivial and of less importance to other raging issues?  How does one educate people about this phenomenon to the point that they will rise into action? In a country troubled by pressing socioeconomic concerns such as poverty and armed struggle, how does one make an entire nation realize that if not addressed urgently, climate change has catastrophic consequences both to the Philippines and to the rest of the world?

As a green activist, these questions guide me in engaging the different sectors of our society — from the youth to school teachers, from professionals to homemakers, from the common Pinoy to our national government — about climate change. Although the task sounds simple, it is actually daunting. Similar to each region's creativity and resourcefulness in cooking the perfect adobo, I have to develop new and innovative tools in presenting the climate change story to suit each Pinoy's palate.  And with the barrage of information practically thrown at people by television, radio, newspapers, and even billboards, it is a constant challenge for me to elevate the issue from the noise.

Frankly, were I not part of Greenpeace, I would be having a hard time understanding climate change as well, and its relevance in my life. But I was exposed to Greenpeace early — in high school, in fact, when I read about the organization and its anti-whaling campaign in National Geographic. I remember being amazed on how passionate the activists were in voicing out their beliefs.  

But I didn't have the chance to get involved with Greenpeace until 1999, when I was already in college.   Some friends of mine asked me if I want to help out during Greenpeace's Toxics Free Asia Tour.  I said yes!  I tried to help out in any way I could, from printing shirts to guiding fellow students during the Rainbow Warrior open-boat days, to making sure my fellow volunteers had food during lunch. I became more involved in the group after graduation, helping organize public events, participating in actions, becoming a member of SolarGeneration (a youth group initiated by Greenpeace) and an activist.  Today I'm the Climate & Energy Campaigner of Greenpeace Southeast Asia based in the Philippines.

OUR RAPID response team has borne witness and documented impacts of extreme weather events in the country, such as the 2004 drought in South Cotabato that affected almost 800,000 families in Mindanao, to the aftermath of typhoon Reming in the Bicol Region last December.  These tragedies have resulted in the loss of lives and livelihood, as well as in the destruction of infrastructure.  They have also amplified the lack of food and water and other basic services that majority of Filipinos suffer in provinces with high poverty incidence ratings.

The Philippines is a climate hotspot.  As a developing country, with very little access to vital resources, it has a low ability to adapt and an even lower ability to cope with disasters brought about by the impacts of climate change. Yet, even with the emerging trends of climate variability, many provinces in the Philippines are still not aware of their vulnerability; much less are they able to prepare to cope with its impacts.

The amount of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide that humans have released since the Industrial Revolution has drastically altered the natural processes of our planet including the climate.  Human-induced climate change was brought about by different sectors and activities such as deforestation, unsustainable agricultural practices, and improper waste management.  But the biggest culprit of all has been the energy sector.

Almost 70 percent of the Philippines' energy mix comes from power plants that burn fossil fuel such as coal — the most carbon intensive and polluting power source.  Less than one percent of our energy comes from solar and wind power. Greenpeace has conducted a series of tests on the ash fields of coal-fired power stations in the Philippines, including the biggest in Sual, Pangasinan and the dirtiest in Calaca, Batangas.  The results revealed the insidious presence in the coal plant waste stream of hazardous substances such as mercury (a deadly neurotoxin) and arsenic (a known carcinogen), and raised the possibility of widespread toxic contamination in host and neighbouring communities. 

Aside from the toxins, a coal-fired power plant like the 1,200-megawatt one in Sual will, for the duration of its 25-year contract, produce 238.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to more than 575.6 billion jeepneys simultaneously starting and traveling for a kilometer.

Although the government is well aware of these, it remains largely dependent on coal for its energy source. To us, it is clear that the well-being of Filipinos is being sacrificed by the government, which is also fueling climate change by expanding existing and building new coal-fired power stations in the country.

Of course, I’m no Al Gore. I don’t have his gravitas, and I can guess what people are probably thinking when they see someone as young as I am trying to talk to them about something that seems so complex. But I stand up and say what I have to say anyway, because I know if I do it right, they will cease to see the young woman before them and they will listen.

Fortunately, I don’t have to rely only on myself to convince people. Images, video footage, and maps have proven to be an effective tool in awakening Pinoys on the gravity of the situation.

Using the geographic information system (GIS), Greenpeace has mapped out areas in the Philippines that are under threat to sea-level rise because of climate change.  As an archipelago with a coastline almost equal to the circumference of the earth, there is only one region in the Philippines not threatened by ocean water encroaching dry land: the Cordillera Administrative Region.  This translates to displacement of families and damage to ecosystems such as beaches, mangroves, and coral reefs that are valued for its conservation efforts and tourism potential.