Climate Change awareness

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

The multi-sectoral forum on developing household solutions to climate change held Thursday in Dumaguete City gained mileage with the participation of local government units and other stakeholders, through a simultaneous video conference in Silliman University, University of San Carlos in Cebu City and Central Philippine University in Iloilo City.

The three-phase project seeks to encourage LGUs, NGOs, stakeholders and students to develop practical and cost-efficient climate change adaptation and mitigation mechanisms for implementation in homes, schools, or barangays. Climate change is already happening and will impact on the country even more in the future. It is also a development issue.

What should be done? We must implement Republic Act 9729, otherwise known as the Climate Change Act of 2009, which became a law only on October 23, 2009.

The enactment of the Climate Change Act of 2009 will recognize the vulnerability of our country to potential dangerous consequences of climate change such as rising seas, changing landscapes, increasing frequency or severity of draughts, fires, floods and storms, climate-related illnesses and diseases, damage to ecosystems, biodiversity loss that affect the country’s environment, culture, and economy.

The World Development Report 2010 says it is essential to act now, or else options disappear and costs increase as the world commits itself to high-carbon emissions. Acting together is the key to keeping the costs down and effectively tackling both adaptation and mitigation.

Climate change threatens all countries, particularly developing countries, like ours which is an archipelago.

We must therefore promulgate and implement rules and regulations as soon as possible with qualified personnel and adequate funding to be able to mitigate the impact of climate change in the days ahead.*