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ENVIRONMENT UPDATES
MANILA, Philippines - Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) president Antonio M. Claparols said Filipinos must learn the lessons of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. "Ondoy and Pepeng caught us by surprise but environmentalists have warned us on catastrophies like these for years," said Claparols. "I think now is the time to listen." A few weeks ago, Ondoy brought a heavy mud flood that turned most of Metro Manila, Rizal and nearby provinces into virtual water worlds. A week later, Pepeng caused flashfloods and landslides in Central and Northern Luzon. "Many lives have been lost, many are still missing and until today, some places are still submerged in water," Claparols added. "Everyone was affected and everyone has their own stories to tell. Yet, the bayanihan spirit of the Filipinos prevails. A lot of people wanted to reach out their hands to the victims. A lot of people had cared." Claparols, however, warned Ondoy and Pepeng will not be the last typhoons to hit the country. "It will be worse next time if we don't change our ways," warned Claparols. "The effects of climate change is real and it will haunt us and our children's children for many years." For a start, Claparols suggests the government to impose total log ban, protect the country's remaining rainforests and embark on a massive reforestation program. "For us to combat global warming, we must first protect ourselves by preserving our trees, protecting our natural resources and learning from our mistakes," he said. "This must be our priority. We can no longer ignore the signs. We must stop polluting the environment." Claparols also said people on all levels must have environmental education. Filipinos must learn the value of recycling, segregation and the reduction of greenhouse gas emission.
Climate change will haunt us
IT has been over a month since Typhoon Ondoy visited us to give us some water, the source of all life. What turned out to be a visit with rain became flash floods that wrought severe damage.
Nobody was spared. Everyone was effected, each having his/her own stories to tell. Cities and towns were covered with mud and water. The water came so fast that it caught everyone by surprise. It was coming everywhere rapidly.
Angry nature struck people and property. Many families lost everything they had. They need to start anew, to begin all over again.
Civil society and the bayahinhan spirit ruled the day. The Filipino spirit was at its best and I am proud to be a Filipino.
What gets me mad is that all this and more will again happen and again. It will be worse the next time. Climate change is real and wil haunt us and our children's children.
This is our battle and we must win it. We must abate climate change at all costs.
Our planet and people are at stake; or else all flora and fauna will vanish.
But rain comes from above and not flowing like a raging river -- flash floods in the citystreets are something else.
The people have all the right to know when the dam master is to release water.
Dams are a destructive monument whose time will come. Just like the Hoover Dam in the U.S. they destroy rivers, mountains and the sease. Aside from destroying all biodiversity, all of our flood chain is affected.
The World Commission on Dams report to the World Bank has made the latter stop the funding of large dams.
Never in my lifetime have I seen Metro Manila, as it is today -- destruction and dosolation all over. People need to be better prepared to dealwith the floods.
They are many lessons to be learned by Ondoy's wrath.
1. We must have a total logging ban, protect our remaining forest and embark in a massive reforestation program.
2. We must combat climate change.
3. We must stop converting forest and agricultural land into buildings.
4. We must have invironmental education in all levels.
5. We must all know about the environment and prioritize it.
6. We must stop polluting our land and water.
7. We must recycle and segregate.
8. We must be ready for the worse.
9. In reliefe use eco-friendly material not plastic.
There are so many things that we could have done. So many lives would have been saved. As of today, the cost of the damage is estimated at over P10 billion.
I believe it is much more. More than 255,000 metric tons of rice have been destroyed, posing greater threats as our people are already hungry.
There are many who still need food and water. I am furious at the thought that there are so many people still missing and yet the logging and extraction go on and it is business as usual.
This must be stopped. We need to take stock and appraise the lessons we have learned and implement them. A healthy ecology would not have caused Ondoy's wrath.
For our children and theirs, we must act now.
IT has been over a month since Typhoon Ondoy visited us to give us some water, the source of all life. What turned out to be a visit with rain became flash floods that wrought severe damage.
Nobody was spared. Everyone was effected, each having his/her own stories to tell. Cities and towns were covered with mud and water. The water came so fast that it caught everyone by surprise. It was coming everywhere rapidly.
Angry nature struck people and property. Many families lost everything they had. They need to start anew, to begin all over again.
Civil society and the bayanihan spirit ruled the day. The Filipino spirit was at its best and I am proud to be a Filipino.
What gets me mad is that all this and more will again happen and again. It will be worse the next time. Climate change is real and wil haunt us and our children's children.
This is our battle and we must win it. We must abate climate change at all costs.
Our planet and people are at stake; or else all flora and fauna will vanish.
But rain comes from above and not flowing like a raging river -- flash floods in the city streets are something else.
The people have all the right to know when the dam master is to release water.
Dams are a destructive monument whose time will come. Just like the Hoover Dam in the U.S. they destroy rivers, mountains and the sease. Aside from destroying all biodiversity, all of our flood chain is affected.
The World Commission on Dams report to the World Bank has made the latter stop the funding of large dams.
Never in my lifetime have I seen Metro Manila, as it is today -- destruction and dosolation all over. People need to be better prepared to dealwith the floods.
They are many lessons to be learned by Ondoy's wrath.
1. We must have a total logging ban, protect our remaining forest and embark in a massive reforestation program.
2. We must combat climate change.
3. We must stop converting forest and agricultural land into buildings.
4. We must have invironmental education in all levels.
5. We must all know about the environment and prioritize it.
6. We must stop polluting our land and water.
7. We must recycle and segregate.
8. We must be ready for the worse.
9. In reliefe use eco-friendly material not plastic.
There are so many things that we could have done. So many lives would have been saved. As of today, the cost of the damage is estimated at over P10 billion.
I believe it is much more. More than 255,000 metric tons of rice have been destroyed, posing greater threats as our people are already hungry.
There are many who still need food and water. I am furious at the thought that there are so many people still missing and yet the logging and extraction go on and it is business as usual.
This must be stopped. We need to take stock and appraise the lessons we have learned and implement them. A healthy ecology would not have caused Ondoy's wrath.
For our children and theirs, we must act now.
When will we ever learn?
It has been almost two weeks since typhoon Ondoy visited us to give us some water, the source of all life. What turned out to be visit with rain became flashfloods that destroyed the entire Manila.
Nobody was spared. Everyone was effected and have their own stories to tell. Cities and towns were covered with mud and water. The water came so fast that, it cought everyone by surprise. It was coming everywhere. Until today there are places unpassable, people missing and hungry. Many have lost everything they had. They need to start a new, to begin all over again.
The relief efforts are moving slow. Civil society and the bayanihan spirit ruled the day. The Filipino spirit was at its best and I am proud to be a Filipino.
What gets me mad is that all this and more will happen again and again. It will be worse the next time. Climate Change is real and will haunt our children's children and us. This is our battle and we must win it. We must abate climate change at all cost. The planet and people are at stake. All flora and fauna will vanish.
But rain comes from above and not flowing like a raging river a flashflood in the city streets is something else.
The peole have all the right to know when the dam master is to release water. Dams are a destructive monuments whose time will come.
Just like the Hoover Dam in the US. They destroy the rivers, mountains and the seas. All of our food chain is affected.
The world Commission on Dams report to the World Bank has made them stop the funding of large dams. Aside from destroying all biodiversity.
If the dam master announced the releasing of water the farmer would have time to harvest their crop of which now is totally destroyed.
The people would have been better prepared to deal with a flood like this. Never in my lifetime have I seen Manila, as it is today mud floods.
They are many lessons to be learned by Ondoy's wrath.
1. We must have a total logging ban, protect our remaining forest and embark in a massive reforestation program.
2. We must combat climate change.
3. We must stop converting forest and agricultural land into buildings.
4. We must have invironmental education in all levels.
5. We must all know about the environment and prioritize it.
6. We must stop polluting our land and water.
7. We must recycle adn segregate.
8. We must be ready for the worse.
9. In reliefe use eco-friendly material not plastic.
There are so many things that we could have done. So many lives would have been saved. As of today the cost of the damage is estimated at over 10Billion pesos.
I believe it is much more. More than 255,000 metric tons of rice has been destroyed and our people are hungry. There are many who still need food and water what more a life to sustain. I am furious at the thought that there are so many people still missing and yet the logging/extraction goes on and it is business as usual.
This must be stopped. We need to take stock and appraise what lessons we have learned learned and implement them. A healthy ecology would have not caused Ondoys wrath. For our children and theirs we must act now.
NGO urges gov't to promote organic farming
Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) President Antonio M. Claparols has called on the government to promote and support organic agriculture.
"It has been proven that agriculture significantly contributes to global warming due to the overuse of fertilizers and land degredation," said Claparols. "That is why we need to shift to more sustainable farming practices and start using organic fertilizers on a wide scale."
According to Claparols, Filipino farmers need to be properly educated on cropland management, appropriate use of fertilizers and restorations of organic soils as carbon sinks, among others. Farmers, themselves, are among the most vulnerable to global warming because farmlands and their crops are the first casualties of environmental calamities.
One of the biggest setbacks organic farming has suffered abroad is the notion that it can not yield enough crops to feed the people. But Claparols said the country can produce sufficient organic fertilizers to boost yields substantially.
"Our countryis rich in natural resources, "Claparols said. "And if we take care of our agriculture and our environment, we will have food security."
Organic farming can be used to mitigate global warming by decreasing fossil fuel emissions while limiting the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Additionally, improved soil quality and efficient water use can strengthen the agno ecosystem while practices that enhance biodiversity allow farms to mimic natural ecological processes which enable them to better respond to climate change.
Relief workers should use-friendly packaging by: Antonio M. Claparols President Ecological Society of the Philippines
WITH ALL THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY "Ondoy" and "Pepeng," our people continue to suffer from the effects of the floods caused by wanton deforestation and pollution of our environment.
Our people continue to suffer from the floods and the mud.
To add to this, the piles of plastic trash threaten to fill our land and water with toxic waste.
Plastics are very dangerous and will destroy our environment, and our people sill suffer more.
We commend our people for their bayanihan spirit, but we urge all those helping the flood victims to use eco-friendly packaging for relief goods.
We can use baskets, rice bags, abaca baskets and other materials that are biodegradable and can be used again and again.
May we request the government agencies, local government units, and all others concerned to pick up all the plastic bags used to recycle them.
Trash recycling efforts are a necessary part relief operations.
Plastic waste must not be allowed to pile up and cause toxic pollutions in our waters and lands.
Other countries have banned the use of plastics for relief operations because of the damage these materials inflict on the environment.
Information on alternatives to plastics is handily available in Google.
RP urged to promote renewable energy
The Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) is urging the government to promote the use of renewable energy to help abate the effects of climate change.
"We are now experiencing the on slaught of global warming," said ESP president Antonio M. Claparols." On thing we can do is to tap renewable sources of energy and stop our dependency to oil, coal and other sources of energy that harm the environment."
According to Claparols, the United States and European Union are gearing towards the use of clean energy and that at least 73 countries, at the end of 2008, have renewable energy policy targets.
Among the most popular and effective sources of renewable energy are social wind power.
"Solar photovoltaic power continued to be the fastest growing power generation technology in the world. In fact, India emerged as a major producer of solar photovoltaics in 2008," Claparols said. "In China, the total wind power capacity doubled in 2008."
"If countries, more developed than us, are using solar and wind power, I see no reason why we can't tap these sources of energy." Claparols added.
Renewable energy is derived from natural processes that are replenished constantly such as sunlight wind, tides, rain and geothermal energy.
"We are a country so rich in renewable sources of energy. We should take advantage of this clean and natural resource" he said.
RP must follow lead of other island nations
Island nations such as the Philippines are the first to be affected by climate change, the head of an environmental NGO warned yesterday.
"Islands may even go under water and disappear forever," said Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) president Antonio M. Claparols.
"The Philippines is an archipelago composed at 7,107 islands. We could be in peril that is why we have to take concrete action against global warming now and fast."
Among the island nations active in preserving the environment and fighting climate change are Mauritius and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). In fact, both countries have recently been honored with the Climate Protection Award by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for their outstanding contribution to climate protection under the Montreal Protocol ozone treaty.
"We should follow their lead," Claparols said.
Both countries collaborated on a joint proposal addressing the ozone depleting substances that reside in old equipment, and that would otherwise leak out and contribute to worsening the ozone hole and climate change.
"Fore our part, we must enhance our forest and carbon sinks, go organic, stop logging, go to renewable energy and stop emission of greenhouse gases," Claparols added. "These things we can do. We all must take a stand."
In order to archive such a goal, Claparols added, the government must do its share by executing and implementing existing laws for the protection and the preservation of the environment.
Action urged on global warming
The Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) is calling on the government and the private sector to mitigate the effects of global warming.
"No, I'm not just talking creating a commission or mapping out plans," ESP president Antonio M. Claparols said. "We need to take real action on the ground, we must take the initiative,"
Scientists all over the world had already identified the problems and had offered solutions to help mitigate climate change.
"It is now up to us to do what is needed to be done and not just talk about it, "he said. "We need to reduce GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, we need to build on the growing public desire for governments to act on climate change and we need to reduce inertia in social and economic systems."
Many scientists believe that fossil fuel emissions such as methane and carbon dioxide which end up in the earth's atmosphere, contribute heavenly to the rise of global temperature. Compounding the problem is the continuous devastation of rainforests which serves as catch basins that help rid the atmosphere of poisonous gases.
Among the actions Claparols is suggesting is the wide use of clean and renewable energy, advancement of organic farming, and protection of the country's remaining forests.
"Renewable energy is cheaper than fossil fuel and, more importantly, it helps abate the effects of global warming," he said
The Ecological Society of the Philippines is calling on the government and the private sector to seriously tackle the issue on climate change and the destruction it has done to our food, water and biodiversity.
"Each day, the effects of global warming are getting more severe, the weather all over the world has been unpredictable more than ever," said ESP president Antonio M. Claparols, who added that since 1990, the mean global temperature has risen by 0.33 degrees.
Studies also suggest that the northern hemisphere is now warmer than at anytime in at least 1,200 years.
But there are ways to combat climate change.
For starters, Claparols said, the country needs to support and promote organic farming. Studies show that organic methods of farming could produce enough food to sustain the current human population, and potentially an even larger population, without increasing the agricultural land base.
"Organic agriculture and the increase in farm inputs will help our farmers, who constitute the backbone of our country," said Claparols. "At the same time it would help fight climate change."
Improved soil quality and efficient water use is said to strengthen agroecosystem, while practice that enhance biodiversity allow farms to mimic natural ecological processes, which enables them to better respond to change thereby increasing its ability to continue functioning when faced with unexpected events such as climate change.
Claparols added that the government can help by offering incentives to farmers who go organic.
"Farmers are among the most vulnerable to climate change because they rely heavily on agriculture as their primary sector and need affordable solutions, based on their own resources and skills, to prevent excessive losses," he said
The Ecological Society of the Philippines is calling on the government and the private sector to seriously tackle the issue on climate change and the destruction it has done to our food, water and biodiversity. “Each day, the effects of global warming are getting more severe, the weather all over the world has been unpredictable more than ever,” said ESP president Antonio M. Claparols, who added that since 1990, the mean global temperature has risen by 0.33 degrees. Studies also suggest that the northern hemisphere is now warmer than at any time in at least 1,200 years. But there are ways to combat climate change. For a start, Claparols said, the country needs to support and promote organic farming. Studies show that organic methods of faming could produce enough food to sustain the current human population, and potentially an even larger population, without increasing the agricultural land base. “Organic agriculture and the increase in farm inputs will help our farmers, who are compose the backbone of our country,” said Claparols. “At the same time it would help fight climate change.” Improved soil quality and efficient water use are said to strengthen agroecosystems, while practices that enhance biodiversity allow farms to mimic natural ecological processes. This enables them to better respond to change thereby increasing the ability to continue functioning when faced with unexpected events such as climate change. Claparols added that the government can help by offering incentives to farmers who go organic. “Farmers are among the most vulnerable to climate change because they rely heavily on agriculture as their primary sector and need affordable solutions, based on their own resources and skills, to prevent excessive losses,” he said.
by: Antonio M. Claparols President Ecological Society of the Philippines
The Ecological Society of the Philippines is calling on the government and the
private sector to seriously tackle the issue on climate change and the
destruction it has done to our food, water and biodiversity.
Mining moratorium proposed by NGO
Mining operations are a threat to farming, rice production and fishing.
This was stressed by a coalition of environmental groups, the church and the civil society in a recent conference held at the University of the Philippines Bahay Kalinaw.
"The Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) shares this stand that is why we are urging the government to enforce a mining moratorium and prioritize food production," said ESP president Antonio M. Claparols.
The Working Group of Mining in the Phiilppines (WGMP) also launched a fact-finding book entitled Mining or Food authored by Dr. Robert Goodland; a former director of the World Bank, and Clive Wicks of International Union for conservation of Nature-Commissions on Environment, Economics and Social Policy.
The said panel included Senator Aguilino "Nene" Pimental Jr., Dr. Robert Goodland, Clive Wicks, Fr. Frank Nally, Arturo Baquirin and Mr. Catal Doyle of the National University of Ireland.
The 280 page book documented the many negative effects of mining in the country. The book highlights effects and makes recommendations to the goverment, the industry and the people.
"Mining has indeed done a lot of damage in our country. The remaining forest we have is estimated at 2% percent. Our coral reefs and mangrove swamps have been destroyed. Our people are dying from mercury poisoning and other heavy metals," Claparols added.
In February, 2008 the working group on mining came to the Philippines and documented six actual and proposed mining locations on the islands of Mindoro and Mindanao.
ESP welcomes Obama stand on global warming
The Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) welcomes the pronouncement of US President Barack Obama to combat global warming.
"Finally, environmental groups all over the world will have a very powerful ally in the White House," said ESP president Antonio M. Claparols. "I hope that President Obama will fulfill his promise to help fight global warming, not like his predesessor George W. Bush."
The Bush administration had opposed any imposition of emissions limits in the US and had refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocal on reducing greenhouse gases.
"But we need to act fast," Claparols warned. "The disastrous environmental impacts manifested by climate change has reached catastrophic proportions as manifested in the melting ice caps, the scarcity of food and the unpredictable weather."
In one of his speeches, Obama promised to change the US environmental policy and the reduce gas emissions by 80 percent in 2050 and make the US the leader in the battle against climate change. He also plans to create a Global Energy Forum of the Worlds largest emitters to focus exclusively on global energy and environmental issues.
"We welcome, with hope, the plants of US President Obama knowing that he will make a big difference," Claparols added.
Go organic and stop using GMOs--NGO
The Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) reiterated yesterday its call to stop using crops with GMOs or genetically manufactured organisms.
"GMOs not only destroy the environmen, it is harmful to human health and the food chain," warned ESP president Antonio M. Claparols.
A recent research shows the ability of organic agriculture to both reduce greenhouse gas emissions with fewer energy inputs and withstand climate change impacts like drought with greater efficacy. This is in stark contrast to genetically engineered crops which has yet to overcome technical and social hurdles.
"The earth is repidly warming and this is going to drastically affect our food supply," Claparols added. "GMOs will certainly not help abate the effects of climate change which are well manifested."
The ESP has also urged the Philippine government to help the local farmers and promote organic farming not only to battle global warming but also to fight the food crisis.
The research also noted that the organic systems used 28 to 32 percent fewer energy inputs, retained soil carbon and soil nitrogen better, and offered a higher profitability over conventional systems. Even the United Nations recognized the opportunity presented by organic production in a report late last year.
"Needless to say, organic is a more economical and more accessible form of agriculture. We have to save our biodiversity and we must have food security," Claparols added.
Obama's promise on global warming lauded
The Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) welcomes the pronouncement of US President Barack Obama to combat global warming.
"Finally, environmental groups all over the world will have a very powerful ally in the White House," said ESP president Antonio M. Claparols. "I hope that President Obama will fulfill his promise to help fight global warming, not like his predecessor George W. Bush."
The Bush administration had opposed any imposition of emissions limits in the US and had refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol on reducing greenhouse gas.
"But we need to act fast," Claparols warned. "The disastrous environmental impacts manifested by climate change has reached catastrophic proportions as manifested in the melting ice caps, the scarcity of food and the unpredictable weather."
In one of his speeches, Obama promised to change the US environmental policy and to reduce gas emissions by 80 percent in 2050 and make the US the leader in the battle against climate change. He also plans to create a Global Energy Forum of the world's largest emitters to focus exclusively on global energy and environmental issues.
"We welcome, with hope, the plans of US President Obama knowing that he will make a big difference," Claparols added.
by: Antonio M. Claparols President Ecological Society of the Philippines
As I write this, the world is experiencing the worse economic meltdown in history.
The main focus continues to be how to save the world's economic order and teh many institutions that have collapse and have been bailed out by their governments Central Banks.
The printing of more paper money and the lowering of interest rates by the world's Central Banks and by the Federal Reserve Board Seem to have no end. The more bailouts, it appears, the worse the economies will go.
The latest industry asking for a bail-out is the U.S. corn industry.
How can an agricultural crop subsidized by the U.S. government ask for a bail out? It is like we are rewarding the many CEO's who have stolen and fooled the investing public all these years.
Should the bail-out of the U.S. automotive industry proceed, such action must include re-tooling the entire assembly lines for their products to transition to environmentally friendly cars.
Let them introduce hybrids and electric cars. Let them be small and efficient. Let them re-tool the entire industrial complex into an enviromentally friendly industry. One that will enhance the environment -- thus aspiring to save the lives of billions of people who are at the poverty level.
One that could bring the people and planet with all the ecosystem benefits that would truly make the world a better and healthier place to live in. One that would assure the survival of the people and planet, hoping that along the way, economic problems would be solved.
As I write this, at the first few weeks of the New Year, typhoons have wrought havoc in Mindanao, the land of promise, as it was known once upon a time.
The floods that ravaged Mindanao with the onset of Typhoon Auring have devastated communities, filled our rivers and seas with silt, eroded coastal lines heavily and damaged our marine environment.
The millennium development goals have yet to be met as more and more people have no access to water and sanitation, food and shelter.
The environmental devastation will continue as climate change will manifest itself in more severe ways.
The winter in the northern countries have reached record levels, destroying agriculture and urban centers. It is much like the world has been put into a standstill as the bitter cold has kept the population in a freeze.
No better sign of things to come if we do not address the real problem.
We must lower greenhouse gas emissions. We must protect our forest and seas.
We must conserve our biodiversity and make all our ecosystems healthy so that we can have the benefits needed to solve the ecological disaster. It will take a longer time to protect our dying environment.
The economic problem facing the world can be solved with more frugal ways. We need to be less wasteful. We need to use only what we need. Sustainable use is the name of the game.
Rich in natural resources, we have one of the richest and greatest levels of biodiversity in the world. We are blessed with our natural capital. Let us protect it.
Renewable and clean energy is the vehicle that will lead us to making the Earth safe. We must not lose focus of teh ecological meltdown, for this is the real problem.
Availability of food and water, averting species extinction as wella as having clean air and the basic necessities for life on our only planet are more important.
Already, we are out of trees yet our forest are still being cut down.
It is time to address the real problem -- SAVING THE PLANET.
Let us start the New Year with more vigilance and resolve and protect and conserve our invironment.
Again I say: Good Economics is a Healthy Environment.
Protection of coral reefs pushed
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has raised an alarm over the destruction of 19 percent of all coral reefs in the world as a result of global warming.
Being a country rich in marine resources, the Philippines should look into this matter, Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) president Antonio M. Claparols said.
"We should act upon saving our marine environment," he said, adding that "we are in the coral triangle and have one of the richest and more diverse coral barrier reefs in the world."
Coral reefs constitute the most biologically diverse marine eco-systems on earth. Aside from climate change, the other threaths to coral reefs are over fishing, coastal development, maring pollution and other human activity.
While the rest of the problems can be easily solved by legislation, regulation and vigilance, global warming is considered the biggest threat of all because of its long-term effects on biodiversity in general.
"If we lose our coral reefs we will lose our food chain and rich marine biodiversity." Claparols said. "Climate change abatement and lowering carbon emissions will save our rich corals. That is why we at ESP are strongly urging government and the private sector to help save our marine treasure," he added.
by: Antonio M. Claparols President Ecological Society of the Philippines
AS I write this, the world is experiencing the worse winter on record.
And to think that the winter calendar has just began.
Consider these: the Arctic Ice is melting ever so fast, and if what scientists says is about to happern, Alaska is going to face three summers!
All this is no laughing matter.
Yet leadership on the grounds in question seems to worry more about who would own what is underneath the melting Arctic Ice.
These issues make me reflect: what priorities are more important? * the melting Arctic ice bundled in the Ecological Time Bomb; or
* the economic giants that are being bailed out.
For far too long have we been talking about necessary technology being availble; and for far too long has the other side been defensively insisting that pro-active programs would be too expensive.
Yet the ecology has shown an even faster meltdown.
Look at what has happened to our weather: 8 Ice cups rapidly flowing; * Severe winter weather in many parts, notably the Eastern U.S.; * Snow is Las Vegas; yet, no snow in some ski resorts; * Famine and droght in many regions.
The agricultural system is virtually being ravaged.
We can no longer plan what crop to plant when.
Among the solutions proffered is organic agriculture which could abate the effects of climate change.
Our forests and biodiversity continue to be destroyed. Our rivers and seas are constantly being polluted. Our food chain is in danger.
Water and sanitation have never been more critical. Poverty is on the rise.
All this talk on conservation and GHG (green house gas) emission reduction seems to be a lot of rhetoric. More acoustic than anything else.
In seems to me that mercilessly, Mother Earth's life is being snuffed out, along with anyone and anything that draw sustenance and life from her.
We cannot and will not allow this to happen.
Ignoring this despondedcy, the SPACENEWS DAILY has emblazoned in tis headline: IN THE YEAR 2030, HUMANKIND SHALL HAVE KILLLED PLANET EARTH.
I do hope our Planet can last that long.
Ecosystems are collapsing and we do not have much time
When we were young, we had a lot of threes and our parents juxtaposed -- in old, cold logic -- the perpetual scarcity of money with the humungous growth of trees and often barked at our please (for pera) with the comment: "What do you think, that money grows on trees?"
The worrisome thruth today is that we have significantly lower forest cover left. Too little to even talk about.
We say: Act now, All of us must CHANGE our ways.
We need to act and save Mother Earth so that she will be able to sustain us and our children's children. We pray that the year 2009 be an environmental milestone.
Good Economics is Healthy Ecology
AS I
write this, the global economic meltdown has gathered momentum, spreading to
nearly all parts of the globe.
Environmentalists expect Obama to deliver on promise
Environmentalists all over the world are banking on United States president-elect Barrack Obama's commitment to fight global warming and the destruction of the ecosystem, a local environmentalist said yesterday.
"But we need concrete actions from a powerhouse nation like the United States to follow their lead," said Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) president Antonio M. Claparols.
"As of this day I have not seen emission cuts. What we have seen is continued unabated development in an economic crisis. What is worse is we have seen ecosystems begin to collapse," Claparols said.
After years of study and vigilance, scientist and environmentalists are still resolving the threat of global warming, he said, adding that the effects of climate change have reached massive proportions in all parts of the world and world leaders need to take real action.
"The melting ice caps, the Arctic ice, the extreme weather, floods, droughts, famine, poverty, new diseases, species extinction and biodiversity loss. These are some of the signs that our planet is in danger," Claparols said.
During his successful campaign for the US presidency, Obama promised a big change in the position of the U.S. on climate change and emission reduction.
But even without Obama's lead, Claparols said the Philippine government needs to cut its carbon emission into a significant level and strictly enforce laws that protect the environment.
"We need carbon sinks by preserving our remaining rain forests. We also need to protect our seas and conserve our last food chain supply. What we have seen are over 150 dead zones in our oceans and seas and they are expanding. What we have seen is continued wanton destruction of our forest," he said.
Group calls for total logging ban
The Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) is calling on the government to implement a total logging ban policy in all primary natural forests in the country.
According to ESP president Antonio M. Claparols, the logging ban will immediately abate the effects of global warming.
"Natural forests can store three times more carbon dioxide than reforested plantations," Claparols said. "If we reallry want to mitigate the effects of climate change all we really need to do is protect and conserve our natural forest and biodiversity as well as slow down on greenhouse gas emissions."
A recent study in Australia finds that "untouched natural forests store three times more carbon dioxide than previously estimated and 60 percent more than plantation forests" and that first time "logging resulted in more than a 40 percent reduction in long-term carbon compared with unlogged forests."
"This is a confirmation that what we have been fighting for is true," Claparols said.
Scientists said that the role of untouched forests, and their biomass of green carbon, had been underestimated in the fight against global warming. Not only did natural forests store more carbon but because they remained untouched, they stored the carbon longer than plantation forests which were cut down on a rotation basis.
Rainforests act as natural sinks for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. They take up the carbon dioxide adn release oxygen into the atmosphere.
"If we destroy our forests, we upset this balance. With lesser trees in the forests, the more carbon dioxide shall be left in the atmosphere, thus, less oxygen shall be released," Claparols added.
"That is why we are calling on the government to stop logging our remaining natural forest and to protect and conserve them."
by: Antonio M. Claparols President Ecological Society of the Philippines
Barcelona -- IN THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY where Antoni Gaudipeace and inspiration, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) held its 4th World Conservation Congress early last month, in the hope of finding ways to save the world from extinction.
Indeed, earth as we know it faces the greatest challenge ever. The arctic ice is melting fast, species have begun to disappear even before they are identified, water and food shortages are plaguing many countries.
Almost all of the world's forests have been logged, and the remaining few are at risk of destruction.
Water, the resources of all life and once so bountiful, is drying up.
The oceans, the last frontier that once had bountiful marine resources, are now a gargbage dump, with 150 dead zones at last count. These dead zones have ran out of oxygen, thereby killing marine species. The home of Moby Dick and the great whales are now in danger of losing all life.
As I write this, the US economic bubble has burst and the global economy is feeling the chrunch.
It was 60 years ago that the IUCN was founded by an eminent group of forward thinking people in the forest city of Fontainebleu, in France. (Its founding name was International Union for the Protection of Nature.)
The IUCN was founded on Oct. 5, 1948, when the world was still recovering from the devastating effects of World War II.
Today, its founded on Oct. 5, 1948, when the world was still recovering from the devastating effects of World War II.
Today, we are founding fathers would be aghast by Earth's conditions.
Today, we are witnesses to how the planet that we were supposed to protect and conserve, has been revaged.
Today, we face a shortage of food and water, with over a billion people living under poverty level.
Climate change
Global warning and climate change fueled by man's greed and lust for material wealth have reached unprecedented levels.
The global average surface temperatures have increased on the average by about 0.6 degrees Celsius during the period 1956 2006, resulting in an alarming rise of sea levels.
Melting ice caps on the mountain ranges have wrought havoc in many countries, flooding communities and ecosystems, eroding the rich top soil and ultimately destroying coral reefs, mangrove swamps and estuaries.
This year alone, Earth has experienced the most unpredictable weather ever, with fierce droughts, hurricanes and typhoons.
The United Nations millenium development goals set forth during the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002, in Johannesburg, Sourth Africa, have yet to bear fruit.
War is being waged in many parts of the globe and food lines have become a way of life.
The deserts continue to expand and re claim what was once pritine forest.
There are so many issues to tackle, so many battles to wage, and yet the wanton degradation of our natural capital remains unabated.
Grameen Bank
Another notable figure was the guest of honor, Prince Felipe of Asturias, who aired the many ecological problems, as well as his hopes that the Congress would bring the solutions needed to save Earth.
Yunus advocated the importance of social business and corporate social responsibility. He talked about Grameen Bank as a model for everyone to follow.
The bank extends loans to the poor without collateral in amount as small as $10 and averaging #200. The repayment and payback ratio is nearly 100 percent, with a loan portfolio of over $1 billion.
Grameen Bank measures profitability not by dollars and cents but by how many people it has helped, and how many children it has fed, nourished and sent to school.
It is a far cry from the old business and economic models, and indeed, the bank has not been affected by the crisis the world economy is grappling with.
Yunus, whose latest innovation and venture was to build solar-powered homes in Bangladesh, even quipped that he was thinking of buying an American bank soon.
He said that over 130,000 homes in his country were being powered by solar energy, and their goal in this venture was to build a million such homes by the end of 2015.
I was very empressed by yunus. His country is considered one of the poorest in the world, but isis on the right track.
How i wish that multinational corporations would follow his example so that we will still have hope of revitalizing nature and conserving its natural capital.
Inspirational
Touring the rich and cultural city of Barcelona, from Las Ramblas to Port Vell, from Gaudi's Sagrada Familia to the Museu Picasso, we were inspired by their works and enlivened by the hope that this Congress would galvanize the greately needed impetus to save humankind.
Let not the beautiful city of Barcelona, whose charm can mesmerize anyone, fade away unnoticed.
Let it imbue the Congress delegates with the same inspiration that it gave Gaudi adn Picasso.
Let us win this war and give nature the right to life.
Group urges immediate total logging ban
The Ecologigal Society of the Philippines (ESP) is calling for a total logging ban policy in all primary natural forests to abate the effects of global warming.
"Natural forests can store three times more carbon dioxide than reforested plantations," ESP president Antonio Claparols said, adding" if we really want to mitigate the effects of climate change all we really need to do is protect and conserve our natural forest and biodiversity as well as slow down on greenhouse gas emissions."
A recent study in Australia finds that "untouched natural forests store three times more carbon dioxide than previously estimated and 60 percent more than plantation forests" and that first-time "logging resulted in more than a 40 percent reduction in long-term carbon compared with unlogged forests."
"This is a confirmation that what we have been fighting for is true," Claparols said.
Rainforest act natural sinks for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. They take up the carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the atmosphere.
"If we destroy our forests, we upset this balance. With lesser trees in the in the forests, the more carbon dioxide shall be left in the atmosphere, thus, less oxygen shall be released," Claparols said. "That is why we are calling on the government to stop logging our remaining natural forest and to protect and conserve them." He added.
Amid meltdown, eco-systems on back burner again
WORLD leaders are agressively seeking to find a fix to the global economic meltdown which appears to continue its dizzying freefall.
The old economic models are not working; Are the IMF and World Bank formulas passe? Could it be time to go back to the old barter trade of comparative advantage?
What worries me more is that -- once again -- the environment has been put on the back burner.
With the Arctic Ice melting at an unprecedented scale and with most of the ice in the mountains facing a starkly similar future, it will no longer come as a surprise that ecosystems will begin their collapse.
Eerily, I see it as only a matter of time.
The ecosystems' benefits are estimated to yield over $47 trillion a year. These are basic benefits of: *clean air and water. *food, shelter and clothing. *marine species which supply food protein fo most people on Earth.
Dead zones in the oceans -- where the oxygen content is zero -- are growing. From the last count, there are now over 150 dead zones in our seas and oceans.
The growth of algae bloom has killed marine species. That means as the dead zones continue to increase, the oceans face the greater threat of losing their productivity and biodiversity.
There may come a time that they will yield neither any fish nor other marine species that are staple food for most of the Earth's inhabitants.
The Philippines is acknowledged as the home of the most diverse marine ecosystem, home of the Coral Triangle, and proud site of many diverse species, greater in their diversity than those of the Great Barrier Reefs of Australia.
The sad reality is our coral reefs are being lost to bleaching and effects of global warming.
Worse yet, our marine ecosystem are subjected and stressed out by destruction due to logging, trawling and over-fishing, not to mention the heavy tailings mining operations dump to the seas.
We only have one planet. We need to fix her up so we can continue to live.
We can always fix the economy by being frugal and less wasteful. With a new wave of economic models.
But we cannot fix our environment when our ecosystems begin to collapse on a massive scale. Our priorities must be focused.
Even the E.U. leadership has failed to commit on cuts on G.H.G. to abate global warming. This must be addressed by the E.U. leadership.
Looking inwardly at ourselves: we need to enhance our abatement efforts by going organic, by protecting our natural capital in which we are rich.
Or else, wait for ecosystem to collapse and have increased poverty and food and water shortages.
Good economics is a healthy environment.
Corporate raid on concervation (Antonio M. Claparols President of the Ecological Society of the Philippines)
I HAVE been to many environmental congresses but never did I experience what happened at the Fourth World Conservation Congress in Barcelona.
At a time when the Earth is at its worse state and climate change is killing the planet and humankind, that Conservation Congress was a circus.
My first was the General Assembly of IUCN in Madrid in 1984, followed by Perth in 1990, Buenos Aires in 1993, Montreal in 1996 (where I was elected regional councilor), Amman (Jordon) in 2000 (where I was re-elected councilor for my last term), and Bangkok in 2004 (memorable for the resolution calling for a moratorium on GMOs). This was a victory for the conservation movement.
The Rio Summit was an authentic Earth Summit. Then things began to change.
In the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002, 10 years after Rio, corporations first showed their presence.
There was a green wash as IUCN and Shell announced a partnership, which having been met by an outcry among the participants, was downgraded by the IUCN Council into a dialogue.
Just last year, however, a contract was signed between IUCN and Shell. Congress members, moving with outrage, put up in the wee hours a resolution calling for the termination of the contract. However, we were shaken to find out that everything had been orchestrated.
I have never seen a conservation congress where so many corporate representatives showed their wealth and power.
As the 10-day congress went into play, we gave the other side -- which had thought that it would be that easy -- a run for their money. Emotions were high.
The circus continued, as if unmindful that one fourth of every mammal is going extinct and one third of every amphibian is going extinct.
With all that was said and done at the many hours of meeting, the sleepless nights and the forging of new friendships, it can be said we won most of the controversial biodiversity resolutions until we came to the controversial biodiversity resolutions until we came to the contract with Shell.
When the vote came, the NGO house voted 70% for, the government house voted against, with 15 countries voting for. We had lost.
We were saddened by the vote, fearful of the effects to the environment. We did not think we could win anyway.
But a powerful message had been sent to all.
What gave us relief was that the contract could be terminated by either party after giving notice. And we had elected a good number of members to the council, giving us the numbers in time to do so. The battle has moved to the new members of IUCN.
Dr. Robert Goodland of the World Bank was vested the Dr. Harold Coolidge Award for his dedication to the environment.
The award was presented by former IUCN Director-General Dr. Lee Talbot, my good friend whom we were honored to be with at a 5-day safari of Kruger National Park and Blyed River Canyon in South Africa after the 5th World Parks Congress in Durban.
Dr. Talbot said Robert Goodland, while at the World Bank, pumped environment in every corner of the bank.
Then Dr. Talbot mentioned a critique on the extractive industries and told the congress that the real effects of climate change are far greater than those predicted by the UNIPCC and FAO, referring to the effects of destroying pristine forests as carbon sinks compared to reforested forests.
What made an even bigger impact was FAO's estimate of Greenhouse Gases from livestock, said to be even higher due to methane.
Dr. Goodland had co-authored and documented a 200-page report on mining in the Philippines, mentioning extrajudicial killings and destruction of biodiversity.
My mind and those of many others have shifted to the next Wilderness Congress in Yucatan (Mexico) where I expect participants like those in Anchorage (Alaska) in 2005 would be hard-core conservationists who love the wild and the wilderness.
All in all, we came out of the circus ahead, having echoed our say.
Good-bye Barcelona. Long live the environmental movement. All this in the worse economic crisis ever. God help us to protect and conserve His creation.
Campaign against GMOs launched
The ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) has joined the Network Opposed to Genetically Modified Organisms (NO2GMOs) in its campaign against harmful side of biotechnology.
In a forum hosted by NO2GMOs at Miriam College's Environmental Science Institute last Thursday, two co-founders of the Institute of Science in Society (ISIS) warned about the dangers of genetically modified crops.
"The biotech companies failed to prove, beyond reasonable doubts, that GMO's are safe," said Dr. Peter Saunders, who is also a professor of applied mathematics at King's College London. "They are trying to convince governments that it can solve a major problem safety and cheaply. We are told that we cannot feed the world without GM. But the truth is, GM crops are going to affect biodiversity and present risk to the environment and human health."
The international experts cited a recent finding of an independent group of possible health impacts of MON863, a genetically modified corn producing its own toxin to kill pests, which has been approved in 2003 in the Philippine and other countries. A recent study failed to conclude that MON863 is a safe product.
"We have no time to waste, we have to move forward to organic farming." said Dr. Mae-Wan Ho. "GM crops are highly controversial and will not play a substantial role in addressing the challenges of climate change, loss of biodiversity, hunger and poverty."
ESP president Antonio M. Claparols, for his part, has been urging the Philippine government to legislate and implement laws against GMOs.
"We are fighting something big, and it needs our collective effort to win," ESP president Antonio Claparols. "That is why we are reiterating our call to the government to ban the importation of GM crops and prevent these from proliferating."
Claparols said that ordinary consumers do not have the capacity to test the products they buy for GMOs because the method is very expensive. That is why, he said, it is the government's role to tell the people which products in the market are not safe for consumption.
Atty. Lee Aruelo, coordinator of NO2GMOs, explained that the country only has a couple of regulations -- by the Department of Agriculture and the National Safety on Biosafety of the Philippines -- against GM crops but no law has been passed by Congress yet.
Genetic Modification is dangerours.
This was stressed yesterday by Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) president Antonio M. Claparols.
Claparols said a new genetics research has confirmed that genetically engineered crops crops can be harmful for human consumption.
"That is why we Filipinos should promote organic farming and make sure that our children's children will have food on their table," Claparols said. "And besides, organic farming helps in mitigating the effect of global warming."
Most European countries already have moratorium on the further use of genetically modified organisms, he pointed out.
"Let us all be vigilant also and make sure that these genetically altered crops willl not penetrate the local market," Claparols added. "I also urge the government to patrol the market and apprehend smugglers."
Claparols said that instead of importing crops, "the government must help and protect our organic farmers."
"We have enough land to produce food to feed the entire Filipino nation," he said.
Protect RP resources, NGO tells Filipinos
The Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) is calling on the Filipinos to protect the country's natural resources to help fight poverty.
"Our contry is so rich with natural resources and yet our people are going hungry and the poverty level has increased," said ESP president Antonio M. Claparols.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has reported that 75 million more people became hungry in 2007 even as the World Bank has reported over a billion people worldwide live in poverty.
"We believe it is more," Claparols added. "We are urging the Philippine government to address the food situation and eradicate poverty."
Claparols said weather adn climate are key factors in agricultural productivity.
"This is where ordinary people can do their share," he said. "Let us all stop polluting our environment. Let us all help preserve our terrestrial and marine resources so that our children will have food on their tables."
Claparols added that the Philippine government, for its part, must also promote organic agriculture.
Studies show that organic farming can help compensate for the greenhouse gas emissions. Scientists also said it can outyield conventional agriculture methods by a factor of 1:3.
The rainforest is a vital part of the earth's ecosystem. It is also a key factor in mitigating the effects of global warming, according to scienstists.
But despite the warmings, forest areas all over the country are being threathened by timber poaching, fires adn rampant conversion of forest lands into agrigultural purposes.
According to an article posted at Earthlymagazine.com.ph, the Cordillera office of teh Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) recently reported that the region is losing 317.78 hectares of forest every year.
"This is an alarming rate," said Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) Antonio M. Claparols. "The Philipine government must do something... fast."
Aside from rampant loss of flora and fauna, the rapid degradation of forests poses a serious threat to the availability of water in the Cordillera and other parts of Northern Luzon.
Benguet has recorded the highest annual forest loss, which is 266.1 hectares or approximately 85 percent of the total devastated forest areas in the region.
Some 29.66 hectares of forests and water sheds are converted into agricultural purposes every year, the DENR data showed.
"Preserving our remaining watersheds and forest is both a social and a political issue. We have to do our part just as the government has to play a bigger role in the protection of the environment," Claparols said. "If this happens in Cordillera, this can also happen in other parts of the country."
by: Antonio M. Claparols President Ecological Society of the Philippines
AS I write this, the city of New Orleans was spared, but four (4) more hurricanes are just behind. As of the last weekend. Hurricane lke barreled across a wide swatch of Texas, deluging the city of Galveston with a wall of water and leaving extensive damage across Houston.
The Indian sub-continent is underwater.
The entire globe, for that matter, is flooded.
Are these signs of times to come?
After all, only one percent (1%) of the oceans that make up over 75% percent of our planet is protected by law.
Less than one percent (1%)
This must be increased by the World Parks as the Global Commons are vast and bountiful.
Yet, such are at risk of being destroyed.
Imagine all the ballasts: pollution, over-fishing, dumping of toxics.
Our richest ecosystems are being destroyed in silent waters.
These are some of the many issues that will be taken up in the Fourth World Conservation Congress in Barcelona this October.
The primary issue of climate change and the shortage of flood and water -- these will be paramount.
Today in the news, our country has a food shortage never experienced before.
Our water is running dry despite all the typhoons and a record Southwest Monsoon season.
The extractive industries will be represented in full force as they continue with their destructive ways.
The IUCN -- The World Conservation Union, the 60--year old union of over 1,000 members-- will debate many motions, some to be adopted, others to fall by the wayside.
The motions, once adopted, become an icon or message to all on how to conserve our dying planet.
There will be many participants and delegations worldwide, with both governments and NGOs represented.
Yes, there will be many participants.
Both sides will be fighting it out.
Those who want to conserve the biodiversity of the world.
There will be those who will demand their right to life on Earth with ample food and water.
There will be those who will demand for their rights to be recognized.
And there will yet be those who do not care at all.
Imagine all this is in the 21st century.
What is sure is that, with vigilance and resolve, the good will prevail -- as all roads lead to Barcelona in October
Our planet is dying and who cares?
As I write this, frantic New Orleans residents are being hurriedly and mandatorily evacuated out of the exotic U.S. city, preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Gustav, which the New Orleans city mayor called "the storm of the century" -- being larger and more dangerous than Hurricane Katrina that severely flooded the metropolis three years ago.
Only a few days ago Typhoon Karen wrecked havoc not only in our beautiful country but in a highly urbanized city such as Hong Kong. The fury that it unleashed is testament of worse things to come.
I am being asked: How can a "mere typhoon" destroy concrete jungles?
Hurricane Katrina demolished New Orleans -- a city I have always wanted to see. And in a day the city had gone under.
Now, New Orleans City Mayor Ray Nagin, apparently regretting keenly the lack of preparation for Katrina, -- paid for dearly -- has been pleading with his constituents to "get our or face enormous flooding adn life-threatening winds."
Anxiously saying it all. Mayor Nagin said in a televised news friefing: "This is the mother of all storms, and I am not sure we've seen anything like it. For everyone thinking they can ride this storm out, I have news for you: that will be one of the biggest mistakes you can make in your life."
First Katrina, now Gustav. Other waves and trends will continue as long as we do not change our ways.
We need to give back to Mother Nature what we have gotten from her.
We need to reforest, rest, rehabilitate and ehhance our biodiversity.
Brazil, the largest carbon Sink forest on Earth, is under siege as well.
What other forests do we have left?
Our very own Sierra Madre forest, Mt. Kanlaon, Mt. Apo, Mt Kitanlad and all our mountains are being destroyed.
Our forests continue to be logged over. Where is the law in this entire deluge?
The environment of the dazzling Beijing Olympics is a sign of things to come.
Ten thousands (10,000) athletes played amid heavy pollution.
You tell me after that humongous display of resources, the Chinese economic machines are being planned for a slowdown?
That remains to be seen. Au contraire, the Chinese economy will go full scale in production.
After all, the sleeping giant has awakened.
The Gobi desert is near the outskirts of Beiging. The deserts are alive and are expanding.
This expansion needs to be under contro; take the fight to them with forests and water. With biodiversity in its fullness.
Let it not be said that we did not raise the alarm; what good are all the economic gains?
What good are the Games: -- if all they really want to do is produce and consume? -- if what it amounts to is to destroy our Earth that sustains our life?
Let me go back to the polyps that build coral reefs that make London look like a town.
I have never met species so hard working.
Everyone is working -- building their coral palaces that feed the world's species, humankind included. Let us protect our seas. Let us learn from what polyps do. Le us changeour ways and start moving towards protecting the only planet we have. Let us feed our people. Meet the U.N. Millennium Development Goals. All I hear and see is a lot of words and summits.
Our planet is dying. And it seems no one really cares.
Gov't urged to protect marine ecosystem
The Ecological society of the Philippines (ESP) is reiterating its call on the Philippine government and teh private sector to take action on the shortage of food and water and the effects of global warming.
"At the rate that we are going we will feel the catastriphic effect of the food crisis and the water shortage sooner than we think," said ESP president Antonio M. Claparols. "Global warming has caused this problem to escalate. Already our coral reefs are bleaching making the last bastion of food in our rich seas depleted."
According to Claparols, the Philippines is rich in marine biodiversity. But it some parts of the globe, marine resources are being killed and destroyed by global warming.
"Soon we will be deprived of the rich marine resources to supply our people with food and livelihoods. We will experience an ecological disaster that we have never seen before," warned Claparols. "That is why we are calling on government and the private sector to protect the environment. And stop ecosystems from collapsing."
A recent study finds rising global temperatures impacting ocean ecosystems to a far greater extent than previously acknowledged. Among the most disturbing news is research suggesting Pacific salmon may no longer find suitable habitat in the Pacific Ocean. Other effects of warming climate are appearing across the marine food chain. from plankton, penguins and polar bears to fisheries on which humans depend.
Ecological time bomb ticking faster
AS I write this, the Earth's global carbon footprint has reached over fifty million tons (50,000,000). This is no joke.
The planet is dying and we can feel the effects of the climate change.
The United States is on fire and burning as the Americans wait for the hurricane season to come.
Europe is in a heat wave and is facing an unpredictable weather.
Switzerland, the cleanest and greenest country in the world, is suffering from a heat wave.
Africa is dying and geting worse.
The Arctic ice is melting and with it all the changes in the atmosphere, biosphere and ecosystems.
The life of the planet is in grave danger.
Yet, economic forces are still raking it in, with little or no concern over the state of the environment.
The role of forests in carbon storage is crucial.
The IPCC has identified teh need for forests based mitigation analyses that account natural variability, use primary data and provide reliable baseline carbon accounts.
In response, the Wilderness Society of Australia conducted one of the few large-scale studies of the carbon stocks of intact natural forests.
The Society used a case study of 15 million Eucalypt forests in Southeastern Australia.
The main result from the study is the default IPCC value for temperate forests -- grossly underestimating by ten (10) times the carbon stock of Australias temperate forests.
The result is of global significance because it is very likely that the IPCC default values also underestimate the carbon stock of other natural forests, including tropical forests.
Therefore, the total stock of carbon that can be stored in the 15 million hectares of Eucalypt forests, if undisturbed by intensive human activity, is around 10 billion tons and not one (1) billion tons.
This shows the importance of protecting our pristine virgin forests.
They sequester more carbon than planted for forest.
We must protect our forests and stop emissions of greenhouse gases.
We started our concern for the environment in the 1970s.
We did not learn it in school as no one was teaching it.
We learned it underwater, measuring coral growth and taking photos.
We cataloged every dive and recorded species of coral and marine species seen.
The year was 1975 when then President Marcos issued P.D. 1219, the ban on coral harvesting. It was a good law, but no one followed it.
What did we do? With the help of Tom Garrett of the Animal Welfare Institute in Washinton, DC, and former Senator Warren Magnusson, we lobbied in the U.S capital and what we knew as P.D. 1219 turned into the Black Bass and Lacey Acts, signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. It was a great victory for us -- Philippines coral, for sale as decor, had found its way from New York to Paris.
That same year, coral was placed as part of CITES Convention. For many of us then, it was sweet victory.
However, as with other environmental laws, with the passage of time , exploitation resumed and destruction has gone virtually unchecked.
Sustainable development has longer been viable.
Planet Earth can not take any more beatings.
Forests are still being felled.
The seas are being over-fished.
Our coral reefs are being devastated.
Meanwhile, we wait for the ecological time bomb to explode.
Already, it is ticking faster.
by: Antonio M. Claparols President Ecological Society of the Philippines
The Constitutional Assembly of Ecuador sent out a very stirring message -- one that optimistically could help change the world.
The 130-member Constitutional Assembly voted to re-write the Ecuadorian Constitution to include the Rights of Nature.
This South American country, home of the famed Galapagos Island and many indigenous peoples, has voted unanimously to protect the Rights of Nature and her Ecosystems. This is a milestone for the world in the light of the state of the environment today.
A am particularly proud of the Ecuadorian people for spearheading this landmark grant by the fundamental law of their land to recognize the Rights of Nature.
For once in our lifetime, the people of Ecuador have given priority to the Environment and its ecosystem services.
Article 1 affirms that Nature or Pachamama is where life is reproduced and that Nature exists, persists, maintains and regenerates itsels through its vital cycles.
This signal piece of constitutional amendment should send a clear and reverberating signal to the entire world that we in pact can aggresively protect the Planet and the Rights of Nature to survive and flourish as well as provide the people of the Planet a safe, sustainable life.
The constitutional framers of Ecuador raise our common if desparate hope that their action would establish a precedent that other nations and peoples of the globe would follow fearlessly, coming as the Ecuadorians' action does in this age of global warming and climate change: * In this era of looming food shortages and spiraling costs of energy. * At this time when the Planet and the world are succumbing to the pressures of ecosystems collapse adn of floods, droughts and ecological disasters.
There is thus a glimmer of hope that this legislation may be followed and given support because it will help revive our dying environment.
The time for old economics must be reviewed and changed.
Such approaches are no longer relevant.
Just note the collapse of many countries which have faced shortages of food and energy.
The time for subsidizing food and energy must stop.
The time is ripe for new ways to save the planet.
The time is in for renewable energy sources that are clean and abundant.
The time is in for new technology for hybrid, electric and hydrogen cars.
We must learn from the mistakes of empires long ago which have gone extinct simply because they chose policies and directions which were not sustainable.
Let us learn from such collapsed empires so we can pass on a better world to our children.
Humankind has to act and save the Planet.
Men, women, children and all species have the right to a healthy and clean environment.
The laws of God and Man demand observance of such rights.
We are left with no recourse.
We speak not only of humankind but also of all species that live on Earth.
Nature, the mother of all Life on Earth, has rights too.
I join the exuberant people of Ecuador in wishing the members of their Constitutional Assembly long life and continued power.
Long live Ecuador's people!
From where i stand, I call upon all vigilant peoples to learn from them and all together let us give back the RIGHTS OF NATURE.
Filipinos urged to act on global warming
The recent food crisis and natural calamities such as food, drought and the unusual change in rainfall amount and pattern have been blamed on the global warming phenomenon.
"It is a problem the entire world is facing that is why all of us must work together to solve it," said Ecological Society of the Philippines president Antonio M. Claparols. "This will continue and will eventually get worse. That is why we need to act now."
Claparols reiterates his call on the Philippine government to take the initial steps and lead the entire Filipino nation in abating the effects of climate change.
"We must change our ways on consumption and reduce our carbon footprint by promoting clean renewable alternatives such as biomass, wind and solar energies," he said. "We need to stop polluting our environment."
Claparols also suggested the government must spearhead the drive to plant more trees and protect the remaining rainforests. This will help prevent soil erosion and heavy floods like the one that devastated Iloilo thre weeks ago.
With all the environmental catastrophes facing us and the planet -- floods, droughts, typhoons, food and water shortages, pollution of our marine environment, species, extinction, harvesting of our coral reefs, logging of our forests, ecosystems' collapse -- it seems the message that Mother Nature is sending us is not taken seriously.
It seems that economic material benefits are more important than the welfare of the planet that sustains life.
The many calls for environmental protection and conservation are not heard or are really not in the drawing board.
What matters more to many world leaders is unwarranted possesion of military power to control the world.
Don't they know that over one billion people live below the poverty line?
Don't they know that the entire world is suffering from a food crisis and an energy crisis?
The solutions are there. And spelled out by many.
The UNIPCC has put up a roadmap on how to fight global warming.
Many scientists all over the world have echoed the same sentiment.
How many more people would have to die?
How many more countries will have to suffer?
Have they not seen what Darfur, Sudan is like?
Have they not learned from the many countries whose people have changed their governments because of lack of food to eat and water to drink?
Each day the economic bubble has seen the collapse of many big corporations, affecting many smaller ones.
What are they waiting for? "For more people to die from floods and droughts?
All one has to do is see what happened to many empires in the past which, having faced environmental destruction, came to the end of their race.
The book Collapse by Jared Diamond says it all.
Jared mentions the loss of the Polynesian race and how Easter Island came to be. He mentioned the sate of Montana (U.S.A.) which had once upon a time supplied most of the mineral needs of the United States and which not has over 20,000 abandoned mines.
He speaks of the destruction done by mining.
He Speaks of the island of HIspaniola which is controlled by two countries the Dominican Republic and Haiti -- and how their policy differences have changed the environment of the island.
He speaks of the great Mayan Empire which was so advanced that its people even had brain surgery at a time when the West was in the Dark Ages.
Why can't we learn from history so that we won't repeat the mistakes of the past?
Clearly, those who do not learn from history are dammed to repeat it.
In many of the global forums, it seems that economic matters rank top priority.
It is as if planet Earth is up for sale to the highest bidders.
We are not on the auction block.
Our planet is not for sale. The global commons are owned by no one. They are owned by everyone.
We must remember that we are all citizens of the Earth. We are her custodians and must protect her.
If not, then the end of the planet that gives us life is near.
The choice is simple: do we want to die?
One thing sure is that we will all die -- unless we all act in concert now.
Let us not destroy our planet. It is not for sale.
Environmentalist pushes total log ban
"Deforestation causes massive floods, landslides, erosion, and global warming. Let us not add to the problem but prevent the worst from happening while we still can."
This was stressed yesterday by Ecological Society of of the Philippines (ESP) president Antonio M. Claparols who is calling on the Philippines government to enforce total log ban and launch a massive reforestation program.
Claparols, a serious environmentalist, said, " Without trees, a greater proportion of rain water reaches the lower ground from the mountain causing havoc to the economy and the people's way of life. But more than the physical destruction brought about by deforestation, its consequences are adding to the woes of climate change."
"We must understand that rainforests create a sink for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Rainforests help the atmosphere balance the variety of gases, the good and the bad ones, ensuring life of Earth. With less trees to moderate these so-called harmful greenhouse gases, temperature on Earth will gradually increase adn the ecosystem would be disrupted," Claparols explained.
]"Forests are the lungs of the Earth. The forest inhales carbon dioxide and exhales oxygen. A healthy forest enhances our biodiversity and assures food security adn environmental security."
Claparols added that there is enough laws, such as Executive Order 318 (Promoting Sustainable Forest Management in the Philippines), to protect the country's forest lands.
"All we need to do is to enforce the law," he said. "There must be a total log ban."
by: Antonio M. Claparols President Ecological Society of the Philippines
The latest g-8 summit in Hokaido, Japan was testimony of the global crisis on food and oil and worse, the effects of global warming.
Global warming will continue to take its toll but with more severe impacts. The environment is dying and humankind as well.
What puzzles me most is that the economy seems to be getting more attention than global warming.
Don't they know that there will be no economics if we have an ecological disaster? Don't they know that the markets are collapsing, insurance claims are increasing. droughts and flash floods will continue with more bengeance than before?
Why do they concentrate on the economy and the price of oil? Don't they realize these are the culprits that accelerate the destruction of the planet?
The G-8 leaders must put aside economic gains and military dominance and concentrate more on how to win the war against global warming and climate change.
As I write this, the country gone through strong and unpredictable typhoons.
The sinking of a large inter-island vessel claimed more than 700 lives and added toxic wastes into our last frontier -- our rich seas that provide us with food and livelihoods.
Now they say the fishermen cannot go fishing in their own waters. What will they do? What will they eat?
The Philippine seas are all inter-connected. One toxic spill will enter the food chain and gulf streams and will destroy all marine life.
There goes our food security and the end of our last rich and abundant ecosystem.
The pronouncements made by the government are not enough. They should combat global warming and get our dependency on oil.
We should plant lots of trees and protect our remaining virgin forests. We should enhance our biodiversity and change our consumption patterns. We must slow down development and go into sustainable use. We must plant organic foods to feed our people and fight global warming.
The World Bank has pledged $US10 billion to environmental projects. This is a mere drop in the bucket. Two overpriced Nuclear Power Plants like the BNPP cost more. The World Bank must increase aid to combat global warming and monitor the development.
The G8 must lead the way.
Even if they fail to do so, the private sector and all individuals must do their share. The UNIPCC and A1 Gore's Inconvenient Truth has said it all. All we need to do is follow the plan.
There are many new alternative renewable sources of energy. There are new clean vehicles. The technology has been there since the mid-1980.
It was all shelved by the oil companies and the few multinational and transnational corporations for their own profits. Greed will destroy their market and the planet as well.
We do not have the luxury of time. The planet is dying.
The economy must be in the back burner and the environment put up front.
The leaders of the G8 must know this. They know economics. They studied Thomas Malthus who said that when population grows, the environment will get destroyed and there will be a shortage of food. Why did they not heed his call?
Ecosystem benefits as per the UNEP are over US $48 trillion. That's the basics to sustain life on Earth. Clean air, water and food for man and other species.
Each day we destroy our natural capital, we run out of the basics for life provided by healthy ecosystems.
It is time to step on the brakes for large developments that pollute and start going back to the basics.
We have ourselves transformed a mountain farm into a forest. It took more than 30 years but it is a healthy carbon sink. Filed with fruits and biodiversity.
The rest of the world must do their share.
Now the Earth is in peril and the people as well. Yet, more summits are scheduled with no commitments.
For humankind to survive, we all must do what we need to do.
'We have enough food to feed ourselves'
Scientists all over the world are pointing at global warming as the main culprit in the looming food crisis in many parts of the globe.
"That is why we, as Filipinos, need to act now to abate the effects of climate change and make sure that the future generation will have food on their table," said Ecological Society of the Philippines president Antonio M. Claparols. "The situation will get worse. If we don't act on it today, it could lead to ecological meltdown. This will make life on earth unsustainable, this is no doomsday scenario but real life."
Claparols, however, said Filpinos need not to worry because" we have enough food to feed ourselves."
"We must protect our natural capital and we must make sure that we have food security and environmental security," he said.
For a start, he said, the Philippines needs to promote organic farming, protect its marine life and preserve its remaining rain forests.
According to Claparols, forests help clean the atmosphere by absorbing man-made carbon dioxide which harms the earth's ozone layer. A recent study also confirmed that cutting down trees increases the risk of flood and other natural calamities.
The ESP is also urging the Philippine government to subsidize the small farmers and make sure they continue planting crops for human consumption.
"We need to stop land conversion of our rich agricultural lands into urban centers and development. We should also stop planting food for energy. Food must be for the people and not for cars." said Claparols.
Scientist all over the world are pointing at global warming as the main culprit in the looming food crisis in most parts of the globe.
That is why Filipinos need to act now to abate the effects of climate change and make sure that the future generation will have food on their table," said Ecological Society of the Philippines president Antonio M. Claparols. "The situation will get worse. If we don't act today, it could lead to ecological meltdown. This will make life on earth unsustainable; this is no doomsday scenario but real life."
Claparols, however said Filipinos need not worry because "we have enough food to feed ourselves."
"We must protect our natural capital and we must make sure that we have food security and environmental security, "he said.
For a start, he said, the Philippines needs to promote organic farming, protect its marine life and preserve its remaining rainforests.
According to Claparols, forests help clean the atmosphere by absorbing man-made carbon dioxide which harms the earth's ozone layer. A recent study also confirmed that cutting down trees increases the risk of flood and other natural calamities.
The ESP is also urging the Philippine government to subsidize the small farmers and make sure they continue planting crops for human consumption.
"We need to stop land conversion of our rich agricultural lands into urban centers and development. We should also stop planting food for energy. Food must be for the people and not for cars," said Claparols. "We must act now with political will and resolve."
A Healthy Ecology is Good Economics by: Antonio M. Claparols President Ecological Society of the Philippines
THE Philippine environment, dubbed a mega biodiversity country, is in danger as true as the saying goes. Our country once blessed with an abundant, healthy environment and balanced ecology is now in the threshold of an irreversible ecological meltdown.
Our forests are nearly gone and yet wanton logging goes on unabated with the knowledge of the government. Millions of species have gone extinct even before they were discovered and identified. Our water resources are running out as our forests continue to vanish. The air that we breath is so polluted that with every we take-- we inhale poison. toxic causing us to die slowly. Air and water are God-given resources, and not owned by anyone. Like the oceans, they are part of the Global Commons--owned by no one, but by all. Air has increased carbon dioxide content from 266 ppm (part per million) nearly 50 years ago to over 377 ppm today and it's getting worse.
The Philippines is also part of the Coral triangle and considered to be the world's center of marine biodiversity. Our marine resources are being destroyed due to the "waste basket" theory that the seas and oceans are the dumpsites of the world's waste.
We all know that the seas are the life of the earth. They harbor countless species that complement our biodiversity and life support system. Our coral reefs and mangrove swamps are vanishing despite years of action and advocacies. These are the food chain and without them, all of us today will all suffer a catastrophic fate.
And so will the generations to come.
Our pollution continues to grow and with it, poverty is on the rise. We are a country so rich and yet so poor. Why do we ask? Is it a lack of awareness, is it ignorance or is it greed?
We feel that greed is the cause of destruction of our rich biodiversity.
Our government lacks the responsible actions and the political will necessary to protect our people and the environment. The economics order that they use is destroying us.
We need to change all these. We need to repudiate loans that are married by fraud, reduce our foreign debt and bring the culprits to the international courts. We need to create a whole new system that will not only enhance biodiversity but also result in eradicating poverty and giving us what is embedded in the constitution.
The right to a clean and healthy environment.
This is our right and we must demand for it--the outright violations of environmental laws on clean air, water, marine, forest, agriculture and now the dumping of toxic wastes and the selling of our patrimony to the extractive industries and bilateral trade.
This is crime against humanity. It must be stopped.
Our country is rich; we can feed our population. We can be self-sufficient with our Natural Capital. We must think of ourselves first and protect, enhance and conserve our biodiversity for us and for future generations. After all, only Filipinos will speak for the Philippines.
We must not allow ourselves to be used and abused. We want food, sovereignty, clean water and air. We want a healthy environment for our people. If we need to die for the cause then so be it.
At least we can say that we did what we had to do. Personally, I see that the earth's ecosystems will collapse in the next 10 years. We have seen the ice melting in the Artic.
We have seen the GMO ban adopted b Switzerland and World Conservation Union (IUCN). We have heard Tony Blair call on the world to take action on global warming after the economic and environmental figures lost were quantified.
We have seen the ecosystem's benefit's, which give us life. The Millennium Ecosystem benefits provide us more than all the world's gross domestic products (GDPs) put together.
Once an ecosystem is destroyed, it cannot be replaced. We cannot eat the gold that is extracted nor drink the waste that is gives. But we can eat, drink and survive with our rich biodiversity. Let us conserve mother earth's natural capital.
We have seen our communities suffer from landslides, flashfloods. And lives have been senselessly lost.
What are we waiting for? Let us ask ourselves.
A tsunami to strike Manila, or more people to die of starvation and diseases?
Time is running out. The earth is dying.
"Mega-Biodiversity Country in Danger' by Antonio M. Claparols
"MEGA-BIODIVERSITY country in danger" is a very apt description of the Philippine environment today.
Once blessed with an abundant and healthy environment -- being part of the Coral Triangle and considered one of the richest in biodiversity in the world-our country is now on the threshold of an irreversible ecological meltdown.
"Our forests are nearly gone; yet, wanton logging goes on unabated with the knowledge of the Government"
Our marine resources-harboring countless species that complement our biodiversity and life support system-are being irretrievably destroyed. The "waste basket" theory-that the seas are the dumpsites of the world's wastes--persists. And so, millions of species have gone extinct even before they get discovered.
Our coral reefs and mangrove swamps are vanishing; years of action and advocacy for these structures of the food chain are being negated. Without them, we will suffer a catastrophic fate.
Our water resources are running out as our forests continue to vanish.
The air we breathe is so polluted that with every breath we risk inhaling poison, not to say slow death.
Carbon dioxide in the air has increased from 266 ppm nearly 50 years ago, to over 377 ppm today adn getting worse.
Despite bans elsewhere in the world, introduction and planting of GMO's has continued, damaging our agriculture (have we forgotten the lessons of the Green Revolution which made food production dependent on the petro-chemical industries and prejudiced our rich soil?)
Our population continues to grow; with it, poverty is on the rise.
Air and water-like the oceans- are God-given resources, part of the Global Commons, owned by no one, but by all.
We are a country so rich, and yet so poor.
We ask: why? We feel that greed has gotten the upper hand, accelerating depletion of our rich biodiversity.
Our Government has not taken full action, manifesting inadequate political will to protect our people and environment.
The Millennium Development Goals set forth in 2002 during the World Summit in Johannesburg are far from being fully attained.
We need to change all this.
We need a whole new system that will enhance biodiversity which will result in eradicating poverty and giving what is embedded in the Constitution- the right to a clean and healthy environment.
Outright violations of our laws on Clean Air, Clean Water, marine, forests, and agriculture, on the dumping of toxic wastes, on the sale of our patrimony to the extractive industries -- all this must stop.
We did not learn ecology in school but in the seas, measuring coral growth in the Anilao (in Batangas) area. It was in 1974 when we worked with then Peace Corps volunteers Dr. John McManus and Alan White and the U.P. Marine Science Institute) headed by Dr. Ed Gomez.
Making great progress, we included ordinary coral in the CITES convention. We managed to lobby and include P.D.1219-the banning of coral harvesting -- into the U.S. Lacey and Black Bass Act.
Our environment has reached a state of irreversibility -- we are being rationed on water, we are using old, dirty fossil fuels, and we have not addressed the issues of Global Warming and Climate Change. Personally, I see that the Earth's ecosystem will collapse in the next 10 years.
We have seen: *the ice melting in the Arctic. *the Extractive Industry Review(EIR) of Dr. Emil Salim of the World Bank declaring that mining will only make the poor poorer. *the GMO ban adopted by Switzerlaid and the IUCN-World Conservation Union. Tony Blair calling on the world to take action on Global Warming.
Millennium Ecosystem Benefits which give us life providing us more than all the GDPs of the world put together.
We must think of ourselves first, protecting and conserving our biodiversity for us and future generations.
Once an ecosystem is destroyed, it cannot be replaced. We cannot eat the gold that is extracted nor drink the waste that it gives.
But we can eat, drink and survive with our rich biodiversity.
Time is running out. Mother Earth is dying. Let us conserve the Earth's natural capital. A healthy ecology is good economics.
Group calls for action to fight global warming
Manifestations of climate change are at hand. Action needs to be taken now to abate the effects of global warming.
This is according to Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) president Antonio M. Claparols.
Global warming has manifested itself all over world," he said. "The typhoons, the floods, the unpredictable weather patterns and the food shortage we are experiencing are also problems in other countries."
Documented studies have linked environmental change to the increase in weather variability as well as the drastic changes in water levels.
Scientists and experts have pointed to the emission of harmful carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as the main culprit for global warming.
"Our food production and biodiversity have been affected. We must take concrete action to lessen our greenhouse gas emissions," Claparols said.
Among the actions Claparols has suggested is for the Philippine government to promote the use of clean and renewable energy, advance organic farming and preserve our remaining rain forests.
It is only when we protect our environment can we have food security," he said. "We must also stop land conversion of agricultural lands."
Government urged to provide bike lanes
The issue in climate change has been one of the hottest global issues for the past three years. And the Philippines must not take this problem for granted.
Thus said Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) president Antonio M. Claparols who is calling on the Philippine Government to immediately tackle the issue and follow the lead of the other countries.
"In Berlin they have lanes for walking and biking. They also have a transport system run by electricity," said Claparols. "In New Delhi, India they have done practically the same thing. The most important thing is that they have begun to abate the effects of global warming. We need to do the same."
While bike lanes already exist in some cities in the archipelago, the government needs to implement and promote such projects on a national level.
"Considering climate change in our decisions will not hurt our lifestyles or our economic growth," Claparols said. "I'm sure we can think of win-win situations where we will benefit from the changes and at the same time abate the effects of global warming."
The earth has changed and we are to blame
AS I write this, the entire city of Baguio is under Signal No.3 and the winds of the first typhoon have been wrecking havoc on this pine forest city.
The power has gone out and what do you expect? This summer capital that we are so proud of has been logged over, believe it or not.
The little forest we have in the watershed that supports Baguio is under siege -- in the name of development. For whom?
The Baguio that we knew in the recent past was filled with pine forest. One could smell it everywhere. However, the luster and ambience of Baguio City are fading. There are flyovers now and yet the motorized traffic continues to stall to a halt.
Pollution has increased.
Yet the people of this city -- used to tragedies and having survived them -- endure and manage to keep their smile and friendlyness.
The people who live and love this pine forest city have recovered on their own strength from the earthquake that devastated this city.
There is more to this city than the cool weather. Foreingers have flooded the city. Session Road can pass for 5th Avenue in New York City with its mass of people.
I remember the boats at Burnham Park and the fun we used to have there.
Now the park has a certain stench.
We say: why not fix the old rather than build new ones?
Why wait for the levees to breach, as in New Orleans?
I have always wanted to visit that city, then came "Katrina" and there went New Orleans. Destroyed and devastated .
Why keep on cutting the last forest when we rely so much on her for water and biodiversity?
We should be protecting her rather than logging her over until there is nothing else, to cut. By then, there would be no more forest to catch all this rain. No more Baguio -- the pride of the Philippines ever since I can remember.
I was not surprised to have early typhoons.
Heavy rains and flooding wrecked havoc in Mindanao, especially Zamboanga and the Visayas. Mindanao had never been part of the typhoon path in the past. The weather and the times are changing Global warming is real and must be abated at all costs.
Climate change is upon us. We can no longer predict weather like we used to. When we could go to the mountains and enjoy their splendor. To recharge ourselves and enjoy the majestic splendor of the peaks and valleys.
The wilderness of this Cordillera City is under siege. It is not sustainable and yet we build and build until Nature says other wise. It is getting to be like Manila, over-developed.
As if we never knew what was coming --the high prices of rice, corn, wheat and other agricultural foods; the unavailability of water, and absence of sanitation. Poverty on the rise.
What happened to our commitment to fulfill the U.N. Millennium Development Goals? To Agenda 21 forged in the wake of Rio's historic Earth Summit?
Yes, we did expect a lot from that.
And from our statements during the WSSD World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesberg, South Africa.
Nothing has been done. The fact of the matter is that we are worse off today than we were then. One does not need to be a genius to know that the Earth's carrying capacity can only handle so much.
Our continuous unabated abuse of her will kill the planet and humankind. When will we ever learn that we have to replenish what we have reaped from her?
The Earth has changed and we are to blame for allowing it. Let us protect our planet. It is the only one we have.
("Antonio M. Claparols is President of the Ecological Society of the Philippines. He is a member and former officer of IUCN).
Ecological time bomb is ticking fast by Antonio M. Claparols
AS I write this, the world has never been in greater danger of destroying itself. The ecological time bomb, of which we have warned long ago, is ticking faster than ever. And if the many environmental concerns are not tackled with vigilance and resolve, the ecological time bomb will explode. This will be the end of humanity as we know it.
In the past, we had a healthy and balanced ecology. Our forest cover was over 22 million hectares and our ocean and seas were filled with bounty. Our seas are said to be richer and more diverse than the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Our forest and biodiversity were filled with species that have not yet been discovered and already have gone extinct. Our coastline is larger than the continental U.S.A.
We are a mega-biodiversity country in danger. Our soil and land were so rich that one could just plant a seed and it would grow. There was no poverty. In fact, we were the pride of the world.
It began with the industrial revolution and was followed by the green revolution. With the massive doses of fertilizer and chemicals put in our agriculture, our soil has been made useless and has run out of rich nutrients.
Our forests have been logged and we only have less than 800,000 hectares of pristine primary forests left. Our soil continues to erode in every rainfall we have.
A country so rich with rain and yet we have no water. All the soil erosion is wrecking havoc on all our rivers and destroying our rich estuaries and coral reefs -- the start of the food chain. We ask: why do we not declare a total logging ban? Why do we have to wait for the last tree to stand before, we do so? Are our politicians and leaders so blind that they cannot see beyond the sunset?
With all our richness, we have no reason to have a water and food crisis.
Why do we continue to mine our country dry? We ask: who stands to benefit? Certainly, not our people and country.
Several times in the past, we experienced oil crisis and we have advocated that we go on renewables. They argue that it is too expensive to change the infrastructure. We say oil is a finite and dirty resource. It will run out -- whether we like it or not.
The question is: will global warning and its disastrous effects kill the one and only planet we have? Why wait until oil is out? We say: change the infrastructure now and go on renewables. We say: declare a total logging ban and go on a massive reforestation program. We say: give jobs that will enhance the environment and restore, rest and rehabilitate our environment. We must give back to Mother Earth what we have taken from her.
In less than 50 years our planet has degraded to a point that it will no longer be able to sustain life. Just look at the glaciers melting, the floods, the droughts, and the famine. Poverty is on the rise and will continue to do so. The U.N. Millennium Development Goals have not even been attended to. Yet, we continue to mine our mountains, cut our forests and pollute our seas.
We need a sea change in our way of thinking; in our consumption patterns and in the fight for our right to a healthy and clean environment.
The UNIPCC has spelled out the future and it is real.
This will bring more and more havoc to our people and the planet. We do not have the luxury of time. We must act now as the ecological time bomb is ticking ever faster. For the welfare of our children and humankind.
During the last Wilderness Congress in 2005 in Anchorage, Alaska, we were told By Dr. Trista Patterson of the U.S.D.A. that ecosystems benefits amount to over $40 Trillion... and getting lower each day. It was there that we saw glaciers melting.
During the IUCN Asian Regional Forum last year in Katmandu, Nepal, we were told by the UNEP director for Asia that ecosystems benefits were estimated to yield over $47 Trillion.
Nature takes care of the Earth. Each day that we do not address the problems destroying the environment, we will experience ecosystems collapsing.
Already it has begun. Our coral reefs are bleaching due to climate change. We are in the coral triangle so rich in marine resources.
The UP Marine Science Institute estimates that in the KIG-Kalayaan Island Group alone, we get over 20 percent of our protein needs. What more the Visayan sea and the Sulu Sulawesi seas?
We cannot afford to destroy our rich marine biodiversity With the way things are going, it is evident that ecosystems will collapse and the Earth will no longer be able to sustain life. We are guardians of the Earth, not its destroyers. We all have to do our share to protect her.
(Antonio M. Claparols is president of the Ecological Society of the Philipppines. He received his BSBA degree, major in Finance, at De la Salle College in 1973. He obtained his MSM degree in 1982 at the Arthure D. Little MEI (now Hults International Business School) in Cambridge, Mass. U.S. He undertook Special Studies at Harvard University in 1982-83. In 1984, he received the Arthur D. Little Scholarship in Strategic Planning in Agri-Business).
RP warned vs importing GMO rice
The Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) has expressed alarm over reports that the Philippines is importing rice containing genetically modified organisms (GMO) from the United States.
The government should investigate that the rice being imported from the US has not been genetically modified," ESP president Antonio M. Claparols said. " After all, the Americans themselves have been vigilant with regards to the GMO controversy."
The Center for Disease Control in the US recently launched an investigation on "Morgellones Disease" after receiving thousands of complaints from people with unexplained skin condition. In addition to skin manifestations, some sufferers also report fatigue, mental confusion, short-term memory loss, joint pain, and changes in visions.
Claparols said preliminary findings suggest a link between Morgellonos Disease and Agrobacterium, a soil bacterium extensively manipulated and used in making GM crops.
The Swiss and many European countries, meanwhile, have opted for a moratorium on the further use of GMO.
"Until proven safe beyond reasonable doubt, we should not be consuming genetically engineered crops, " Claparols added. "It will affect the people, our agriculture and our biodiversity. It will also destroy our rich organic farms, not to mention our environment."
Claparols added that, with better management, the Philippines can produce enough organic crops to feed its own people.
RP must abandon biofuels plan now - ecology group
'World on the brink of a food crisis'
If some scientists agree that plants converted into fuel can help mitigate climate change, the Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) believes that food scarcity is a threat to global security.
"We are on the brink of a food crisis not only here but worldwide," said ESP president Antonio A. Claparols. "We need to abandon the biofuels plan to convert food for fuel."
In other parts of the world, rioting has begun as caused mainly by the escalating price of basic food. The food shortage the world is experiencing today is being blamed on biofuels.
Two years ago, the United Nations had campaigned for the use of biofuels which it said would eradicate hunger and mitigate climate change. Because of this thousands of farmers in the United States and Europe switched from food to fuel production.
Today, the UN has warned that the rising food prices could spark worldwide unrest and could threaten political stability.
"We must stop land conversation of agricultural lands and enhance biodiversity. This must be acted on rapidly and with vigilance as the situation gets worse, " Claparols said. "We need to feed our people first. What good is a car without a driver?"
Instead, Claparols said, the Philippines need to promote organic farming.
"We need to go organic to mitigate the effects of climate change and lower to cost of rice and corn," he said. "Organic agriculture can feed the world, compensate for all greenhouse gas emissions due to human activities and free us from fossil fuels."
ESP traces global food crisis to biofuel thrust by: Antonio M. Claparols - ESP President There is food shortage in the world today and some scientists and world leaders are putting the blame on the mass production of biofuel. Two years ago, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations reported that biofuels can help eradicate hunger and poverty for up to two billion people and at the same time help counter climate change. Because of subsidies and commitments by first world countries to the use of biofuel, thousands of farmers all over the United States and Europe switched from food to fuel production. In the last two years the US has diverted 60 million tons of food to fuel. This year 18 percent of all US grain production will go to biofuel. In additional, large areas of Brazil, Argentina, Canada and eastern Europe are diverting sugar cane, palm oil and soybean crops to production of biofuel feedstock. The result, exacerbated by energy price rises, speculation and shortages because of severe weather, has been big increases of all global food commodity prices. "That is why the Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) is calling on the Philippines government to look closely on the biofuels bill and plant food for people and not for cars," said ESP president Antonio Claparols. "If we ask our farmers to shift from planting food to growing plants for fuel, it will create a food crisis here and worldwide. We call on government to feed our people. We have enough agricultural land." Claparols suggested that instead of shifting to biofuel, the RP government must promote organic farming because not only will it help reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, it will also assure high yields to farmers and encourage biodiversity.
Biofuels to blame for food shortage, eco group says There is food shortage in the world today, and some scientists and world leaders are blaming the mass production of biofuel for it. Two years ago, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations reported that biofuels can help eradicate hunger and poverty for up to two billion people and at the same time help counter climate change. Because of subsidies and commitments by first world countries to the use of biofuel, thousands of farmers all over the United States and Europe switched from food to fuel production In the last two years the US has diverted 60 million metric tons of food to fuel. This year, 18 percent of all US grain production will go to biofuel. In addition, large areas of Brazil, Argentina, Canada and eastern Europe are diverting sugar cane, palm oil and soybean crops to biofuels. The result, exacerbated by energy price rises, speculation and shortage because of severe weather, has been big increases of all global food commodity prices. That is why the Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) is calling on the Philippine government to look closely on the biofuels bill and plant food for people and not for cars, said ESP president Antonio Claparols. "If we ask our farmers to shift from planting food to growing plants for fuel, it will create a food crisis here and worldwide. We call on government to feed our people. We have enough agricultural land."
Ecology group pushes organic farming practice The Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) is reiterating its stand in favor of organic farming. “We strongly urge the Philippine government and the agricultural private sector to go organic,” said ESP president Antonio M. Claparols “This will benefit the farmer, protect our biodiversity, help eradicate poverty and lessen the effects of global warming.” Claparols said that less industrialized nations like the Philippines can benefit most on organic farming. In southern Brazil, yields doubled on farms that changed to green manures and nitrogen fixing leguminous vegetables instead of chemical fertilizers. In Mexico, coffee-growers who chose to move to fully organic production methods saw increases of 50 per cent in the weight of beans they harvested. In fact, in an analysis of more than 286 organic conversions in 57 countries, the average yield increase was found to be an impressive 64 per cent. But the most important thing that is gained in promoting organic farming is its ability to mitigate the effects of climate change. “Already the effects of Climate Change are being felt. From floods to droughts to lower yields and destruction of biodiversity and top soil,” Claparols added. Despite organic farming’s low energy methods, it is not in reducing demand for power that the techniques stand to make the biggest savings in greenhouse gas emissions. The production of ammonium nitrate fertilizer, which is indispensable to conventional farming, produces vast quantities of nitrous oxide – a greenhouse gas with a global warming potential some 320 times greater than that of CO2. In fact, the production of one metric ton of ammonium nitrate creates 6.7 metric tons of greenhouse gases (CO2e), and was responsible for around 10 percent of all industrial greenhouse gas emissions in Europe in 2003. Organic farms actively encourage biodiversity in order to maintain soil fertility and aid natural pest control. Organic production systems are designed to respect the balance observed in our natural ecosystems. It is widely accepted that controlling or suppressing one element of wildlife, even if it is a pest, will have unpredictable impacts on the rest of the food chain. Instead, organic producers regards a healthy farm, rather than a barrier to production. According to the World Health Organizations there are an estimated 20,000 accidental deaths worldwide each year from pesticide exposure and poisoning. More than 31 million kilograms of pesticide were applied to UK crops alone in 2005, 0.5 kilograms for every person in the country.
RP urged to follow EU's lead on carbon reduction
The Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) is calling on the Philippines government, as well as the private sector, to adopt the plan of the European Union with regards to reduce emissions of the harmful carbon dioxide in the environment.
The European Union has pledged to cut carbon emissions by 20 percent. They also plan to get 20 percent of their energy from renewable sources.
According to ESP president Antonio M. Claparols, the Philippines should follow the European Union's lead.
"We need to take concrete action and not just keep on talking," said Claparols. "The effects of climate change are getting more severe.
Floods, droughts, typhoons, deseases, food shortages and poverty will increase. And it will get worse."
Scientists from all over the world agree that emission of fossil fuel, such as methane and carbon dioxide which end up in the earth's atmosphere, is the main culprit of global warming because it damages the ozone layer.
They also believe that the world needs at least a 25% reduction of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere by 2020 to save the planet from climate change's severest consequences such as rising seas, droughts, extinction of species and severe weather.
"The private sector and all individuals must take their own actions to mitigate climate changes," said Claparols.
Group calls for protection of fores
The destruction of forests has been tagged as one of the major culprits of global warning during the recent United Nations Climate Change in Bali, Indonesia.
This is because forests help clean the atmosphere by absorbing manmade carbon dioxide which harms the earth's ozone layer.
Despite being a relatively small country, Indonesia has been ranked the third largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world behind the United States and China not because it burns tons of industrial fuel but because of rabid deforestation.
Indonesia is losing nearly two percent of its forest each year," said Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) president Antonio M. Claparols. "Let us not allow this to happen in our country. We cannot afford to lose our rich organic resources and our bio-diversity."
Additionally, a recent study confirmed that cutting down forests increases the risk of flooding. According to the research made by the Charles Darwin University and the National University of Singapore, a 10 percent loss of trees in the forest leads to an increase of 28 percent risk in flooding.
"With these scenarios in mind, ESP is calling for the Philippine government to protect our remaining forest and natural capital," added Claparols, who added that reforestation can also reduce erosion and increase water capture.
Nepal's environment problems merit the world's attention by: Antonio M. Claparols - Contributor SITTING ON THE TOP OF THE WORLD, Nepal, one of the stepping stones to Mt. Everest, is a country of immense natural beauty with a deep-rooted cultural heritage. A great part of its beauty derives from the many rivers that flow from the Himalayan mountain range and support many countries in Asia. You can say it is the watershed of Asia--a world marvel and the home of World Heritage sites. Its condition should make it one of the points of world attention, in view of the ongoing conference on climate change in Bali, Indonesia. In September, we had the opportunity to travel to Nepal. We visited Bhaktapur, literally the city of devotees and site of the country's highest temple, and marveled at how the ancient city had been restored. We went on the nearby Nagarkot, where one can enjoy a panoramic view of the majestic Himalayas. Our journey also brought us to Durbar Square in Kathmandu, with its beautiful architecture and the most outstanding cluster of exquisite temples and royal palaces. But Nepal, where the rural folk live in self-sufficiency, and the Himalayas are in grave danger. Already, the effects of climate change have resulted in the melting of the glaciers. But it is not only climate change that poses danger but also projects planned for the next 10-20 years to dam the many rivers for hydroelectric development. Dams can adversely affect the health of rivers and streams. They alter channel form and structure, flow regimen and sediment transport, thus changing water temperature and chemistry, modifying algal and macro-in-vertebrate communities and disrupting resident and migratory fish communities. One threatened river is the Karnali, Nepal's "sacred gift to the world". Damming the Karnali and other rivers will ultimately wreak havoc on the greatest resources of all--water. It will have negative impacts on the many countries that are beneficiaries of this water resources. It was but fitting that the IUCN (The World Conservation Union), together with the government of Nepal, hosted the 4th Asian Regional Conservation Forum in September. About 400 delegates from more than 30 Asian countries participated in the conference, which had as its them "Synergies for a Sustainable Asia." It was enlightening to listen to the experiences of other Asian countries in dealing with environmental issues. What struck us most were the experiences of Bhutan and Thailand--two examples illustrating how oneness with nature has been embedded in their respective cultures. The Constitutions of Bhutan specifies a forest cover of 60 percent. And the Bhutanese have what they call their GNH (Gross National Happines) benchmark instead of the GNP (Gross National Product) of the western world. Their happiness is more important than economic development and material wealth. This, to us, is remarkable. Meanwhile, the Thais espouse a philosophy set forth by their revered King Bhumibol--a philosophy of self-sufficiency. These are great lessons in sustainability that we can all share in order to preserve our respective parts of the world, including Nepal's endangered rivers.
Biological biodiversity, the basis of human life Biological biodiversity provides the basic human needs as it the source of the basic goods and ecological services on which all life depends, according to Antonio M. Claparols, a leading environmentalist in the country today. Biodiversity is now recognized as crucial to sustainable development, the eradication of poverty and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals adopted by most countries, including the Philippines. Claparols stressed the importance of biodiversity in ensuring food security and adequate supplies of water and in protecting the wide array of traditional medicines and modern pharmaceuticals that are based on the world’s biological riches. Biodiversity has assumed an increasingly important place in the forums where human development and the survival of our planet are debated, Claparols, who heads the Ecological Society of the Philippines said. Governments are recognizing that the Convention on Biological Diversity and its Biosafety Protocol, as well as the processes the two agreements have set in motion, are crucial for the conservation and sustainable development of biodiversity and for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising form the use of genetic resources, he explained. The consequences of failing to stop the loss of biodiversity are too awful to contemplate. Our highest priority should be to guarantee the health and effective functioning of the earth’s life support systems – on land, in the seas and in the air. Claparols stressed that we must renew our pledge to promote global awareness of the value of biodiversity and most of all to do our outmost to preserve our priceless source of life.
Search for biofuels hurting natural foods
The ethanol craze is putting the squeeze on corn supplies and causing food prices to rise.
The market prices of chicken and beef are expected to ticken up especially with the onset of the holiday season because feed is more expensive, according to Antonio M. Claparols, a leading environmentalist as he cautioned that the mad rush for alternative fuels is expected to put its dent of the common man's diet.
Scientist are engineering microscopic bugs to extract fuel from a variety of non-corn sources, including the human urinary tract, a Russian fungus and the plant responsible for tequila. The quest for alternative energy is more complicated than just finding a replacement for petroleum. Scientists and a growing number of biotechnology companies are attempting to remove corn from the ethanol equation because it has created huge demand for the global food staple.
"There is enormous growth potential" for alternative fuels, Claparols said as he cited Jens Riese, an international analyst who cited that the next ethanol plant from corn produce may just be around the corner.
Researchers are racing against time, the Ecological Society of the Philippines said as he cited that more than 114 plants are now under construction and producers are chewing in billions of gallons increase from the previous year.
And nearly all off of it was made from edible corn kernels.
That's good news for farmers, but consumers are suffering at the checkout stand because corn prices have nearly doubled over the last two years and will continue to climb, he said.
And with farmers planting corn at unprecedented rates, often instead of other crops, prices for other products may soon rise as well.
Corn is a fundamental food ingredient, found in everything from soft drinks to cough syrup. It's also a staple throughout Southeast Asia and they feel the sting of rising corn prices the most.
Organic food is safer and better for environment
It costs more, but it's worth, and it's better for the environment and safer. And while those who buy organic food regularly are still a minority, their number's are growing bigger all the time. Most organic food buyers overwhelmingly believe it tastes better and is worth the extra cost.
Citing findings of a Harris Poll of 2,392 adults surveyed in the US by Harris Interactive, the Ecological Society of the Philippines said more and more people, including Filipinos are finding it good for the health and the environment to consume organic foods.
Antonio M. Claparols, president of ESP cited the survey which says that only seven percent of all adults report buying organic food all or most of the time." A further 21 percent say they buy it occasionally;
Some segments of the population are more likely to buy organic foods regularly: College graduates (11%), Liberals (11%), Westerners (10%), Echo Boomers (those aged 18-30; 10%,) and Gen Xers (those aged 31-42; 9%);
Those who buy organics (including those who only buy it occasionally and rarely) report that their organic purchases are much more likely to have increased (32%) than to have decreased (5%); evidence that organic food consumption has been rising, Claparols reported.
The ESP chief added that the very large majorities of the public believe that organic food is safer for the environment (79%) and healthier (76%). Almost all frequent organic food buyers believe this (92% and 98% respectively). Most (86%) frequent organic food buyers also think it tastes better, but only 39% percent of all adults think this way. Almost everyone (95% of the public, including 88% of frequent organic food buyers) believes organic food is more expensive. About a third (36%) of the public, including almost all (91%) frequent organic food buyers, believes that "organic food is much better for you" and that "the extra expense is worth it to have a better food." A smaller 29 percent of the public believe it is "a waste of money as it is no better for you than conventional foods." Fully 36 percent are not sure.
The many people who have positive attitudes to organic food suggest that the increase in consumption of organic food is likely to continue and, in a few years time, could account for a much larger share of the food market, Claparols said.
Freedom from fossil fuel pushed by Antonio M. Claparols Organic farming frees us from reliance on fossil fuel. It can address local and global food security challenges as organic farming is no longer considered a niche market within developed countries but a vibrant commercial agricultural system being practiced in over 120 countries, according to Antonio Claparols, president of the Ecological Society of the Philippines, as he pushed for more organic farming in the countryside. The organic market is worth $40 billion in 2006 and is expected to reach $70 billion by 2012, he said. Organic farmings is a holistic production management system that avoids the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and genetically modified organisms, minimizes pollution of air, soil and water and optimizes the health and productivity of plants, animals and people, Claparols explained. We should count on the strongest benefits of organic agriculture such as freedom or independence from fossil fuel, the use of locally available resources that incur minimal agro-ecological stress and are cost effective. Claparols said organic farming is a neo-traditional food system which combines modern science and indigenous knowledge. The ESP chief cited the Food and Agriculture report which strongly suggests that a worldwide shift to organic agriculture can fight world hunger and at the same time tackle climate change. FAO's World Food Summit report said that conventional agriculture, together with deforestation and rangeland burning are responsible for 30 percent of the carbon dioxide and 90 percent of the nitrous oxide emissions worldwide. Organic farming therefore, fights hunger, tackles global warming, is good for farmers and consumers and the environment as a whole, Claparols.
Mining
firms urged to respect rights of indigenous people With the imminent rise of the
Philippines as one of the new producers, of metallic and non-metallic
minerals and as the new haven of mining in the coming years, a leading
environmental group yesterday asked the government and the mining sector
to respect the rights and privileges of the indigenous peoples whose
lands are affected by mining activities. Antonio M. Claparols, president
of the Ecological Society of the Philippines said they want foreign and
transnational mining companies to respect the rights and wishes of
indigeous peoples in not allowing the entry of large scale mining
operations in their areas. Claparols explained that through
the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, the government has reaffirmed the
economic orientation views that the Philippines is a mere resource
export base for extracted raw minerals. The Mining Act clearly favors
foreign mining interests which have control of both capital and
technology and ensures a sell out of the country’s sovereignty and
patrimony, he said. Like other patriotic
environmental groups, the ESP is against large scale, open cast and
mechanized mining operations which virtually destroy the lands, forests,
rivers, and oceans leading to habitat alteration, loss of rich
biodiversity and irreversible impacts on climate change, he added. The government’s continued trust
in the extractive minerals industry undermines not only the
administration’s own tenous credibility, but the Filipino people, he
said.
http://archive.inquirer.net/view.php?db=1&story_id=75389 MANILA, Philippines - As
usual, the city of San Francisco was blessed with lovely weather. My nephew Joey and I
spent almost a week there, visiting, among other special places, St.
Mary’s Church near Chinatown. It is the oldest church
in California and continues to draw big numbers of the faithful. But it is
now struggling to keep afloat because of lack of funds. There must be a way to
sustain this historic church that survived the great earthquake of 1906
and has since served as a center of unity and strength for its
parishioners. We went to St. Mary’s to
thank God for His blessings and to pray for the souls of our parents and
brother.
MY NEPHEW Joey Claparols in San Francisco San Francisco will always
have a special place in our hearts. Riding the cable cars and walking in
Union Square remind us of our parents, who first took us there in 1970. The music of the city was
playing for us as we met with childhood friends. How difficult it is to
say goodbye. New York From San Francisco, we
flew to New York, the greatest city in the world. We spent another week
there and caught two plays on Broadway—"The Wicked" and "Mamma Mia," both
excellent musicals. The Rockefeller Center
and the top of the Empire State building are still wonderful places to
visit, as are New York University at the heart of Greenwich Village, Soho
and Bryant’s Park near the Public Library. We had an interesting
time in New York because we experienced four seasons in a week. The issue of climate
change was in every broadsheet, magazine and tabloid. The G-8 was then
meeting in Germany, and the United States was experiencing freak storms
with hail, snow and rain—and drought at the same time. The effects of Hurricanes
"Katrina" and "Rita" were still fresh on our minds as we walked through
that grand green spot called Central Park, 5th Avenue, 42nd Street and
Times Square. It’s truly a city that
never sleeps, with people and cars thronging the streets as night breaks
into a new day. Boston And onward to Boston. The
oldest city in the United States will always be my second home, next to
Manila and Paris. I studied and lived there
in 1980-’83, and I was back to attend the 25th reunion of our Class of
1982. It was known as Arthur D. Little then, but today it’s called the
HULTS International Business School. We stayed in Cambridge,
where I lived during that time. It’s a quaint city across the Charles
River where Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are
located.
CAMBRIDGE with Boston skyline We walked the freedom
trail from Cambridge to Boston and spent time revisiting the past. It was like I never left.
Classmates from Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Colombia, Philippines and
United States flew in to attend the reunion and address the new faculty
and students of the Class of 2007. It was a good year, 1982.
It was our class that first put up an environmental management course as
an elective subject—the first of its kind in any business school. What a challenging step
it was, especially during a time when the environment was just a word not
to be taken seriously. Today, with unmistakable
signs of global warming and climate change manifesting everywhere on the
planet, the environment is part of every business school’s curriculum. I was invited to address
the graduating class, and I felt honored to speak about our 25 years since
graduation and how the environment and economics traversed parallel lines. But as we spoke, the
waters of Lake Superior set new records, receding by more than 20 feet.
The Great Lakes were running dry! Saying goodbye to Boston
was harder than the rest. How does one bid farewell to a city one has
lived in and continues to love? Addressing the problem Back in New York, we
arrived at the JFK Airport to see the traffic of airplanes on the tarmac.
It took us an hour to take off. With air traffic and
other aggravations, the question persists: How can we really address the
problem of global warming and climate change? If this trend continues, how
long before the planet dies? The June 2007 issue of
the National Geographic shows us in vivid color the effects of global
warming: "The Big Thaw"—ice on the run and seas on the rise. From Greenland to the
Antarctica, the world is losing its ice faster than anyone thought
possible. The threat posed by the vanishing sea ice of the Arctic and the
retreating glaciers all over the world is real. The current battle cry is
to save the environment, yet no one seems to be addressing the problem.
Are we too late to do anything? I say: No, as long as we walk our talk and
start a sea change right now. The bottom line is this:
Healthy ecology means good business. What good are San
Francisco, Boston and New York when the planet is at risk? The author is the
president of the Ecological Society of the Philippines.
Climate change, a
hot issue around the globe The issue on climate change is
perhaps one of the most talked about issues in the world today as it
affects the rich and the poor, young and old alike and almost all life
forms on earth. In the developed west, erratic
weather patterns bring destructive hale storms and thinning ice caps to
hot summers, while in the less developed world, flooding, landslides and
searing heat strokes bring death and destruction to millions of people,
according to Antonio Claparols, president of the Ecological Society of
the Philippines, as he cited the need for a concerted effort from all
stakeholders from all walks of life to remedy this situation. Almost all newspapers, magazines
and other reading materials around the world are talking about climate
change, from the thinning ice caps in Greenland to the resurfacing of
the bird flue virus in Hongkong brought by climate change, Claparols
said. Since the H5N1 virus or bird flu
strain is related to global warming, the epidemic is considered a threat
not only in Hongkong but more so for its neighboring countries such as
the Philippines, he added. ESP enjoins the world in
combating global warming and climate change by doing their little share
in facing this ecological disaster that will spare no one in this
planet, Claparols stressed.
‘Natural
Capital’ a sound environmental investment Sound and solid investment in the environment will go
a long way towards meeting national targets on poverty reduction, the
supply of drinking water and fighting the spread of infectious diseases. The goods and services delivered by nature including
the atmosphere, forests, rivers, wetlands, mangroves and coral reefs are
worth quadrillions of pesos and to fight poverty we need three kinds of
capital – financial, human and environmental. When we damage natural
capital we not only undermine our life support systems but the economic
basis for current and future generations, Antonio Claparols of the
Ecological Society of the Philippines stressed. Claparols said targeted investments in this natural
capital have a high rate of return in terms of development, according to
both financial analysts and environmentalists who noted that damaging
the natural capital will have adverse effects on financial investments. While restoring them to health, after they have been
damaged, is a costly and often time- consuming affair, so better to keep
them intact than undermining them in the first place. These cover vital
areas such as halving the number of people living on less than a dollar
a day and the reversing of women, the ESP chief added. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, the work of
1,300 scientists and experts form 95 countries in which UNEP has played
a pivotal role, gives some of the first firm figures on the
environment’s economic value and thus its role in meeting the goals. It states that tropical mangroves, coastal ecosystems
that are nurseries for fish, natural filters and coastal defenses, are
worth around $1,000 a hectare when intact. Cleared for shrimp farms the
same area of coast is worth only $200 a hectare. These estimate that the value of the timber and
fuel-wood from a forest is worth less than a third when compared with
the value of services such as water-shed protection, recreation and the
absorption of pollutants like greenhouse gases. Claparols said costs of restoring a damaged ecosystem
back to health are also high. In the American state of Louisiana,
billions of dollars is being spent to restore coastal marshes and
wetlands as part of measures to reduce storm surges generated by
hurricanes. The GEF is the most important source of environmental
funding for developing countries, helping them in areas such as
mitigation and adaptation to climate change, conservation and
sustainable use of biological diversity, phase out of harmful and
persistent chemicals and combating land degradation. Governments must
ensure its continued success by giving it the necessary financial
backing", he said.
by Antonio M. Claparols - Contributor
IN CAMBRIDGE MASSACHUSETTS, WE were experiencing one of the heaviest
rainfalls ever. The spring of
hope had turned into a winter of despair. The whole of New England was
literally underwater as all the rivers of the Merrimac had overflowed,
delaying flights, grounding traffic and leaving floodwaters everywhere. A state of
emergency had been declared-a clear sign of the effects of global
warming and climate change. Thank God,
the beauty of Boston and its intellectual ambiance remained. We strolled
through Quincy Market and the Boston Gardens, as well as the campuses of
Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Harvard has
purchased a parcel of land in Alison to put up an organic farm, and has
established the environment as a major part of its curriculum. Boston is
replete with history, being the first settlement in the New World. The rambles
of Commonwealth Avenue and the quaint streets of Newberry and
Massachusetts Avenue provide an inkling of its glorious past. But Copley
Square and the old churches beside the modern John Hancock building
illustrate how the old and the new can coexist. Meanwhile,
the Boston common and the Gardens fill the city center-including Beacon
Hill where government offices are based-with greenery. Boston is
best during the fall, when the trees show off their multicolored
splendor. It’s a sight that, to me, is the most beautiful in the world. Living in
Boston will rejuvenate anyone. The diversity of people from all over the
world and the many languages spoken make the city one big classroom. They say that
if you don’t like the weather, just wait a while for it to change. The sun comes
out and disappears, followed by a slight drizzle. You hunker down for
the long cold winter, and then Indian summer allows you to enjoy the
last of the sunny days. When winter
comes, the first flurries are a sight to cheer.
FANEUIL Hall
Market Place at Quincy Market Center of culture Oh, yes, I
love Boston. A renowned
center of culture and learning, Boston supports art museums, theaters,
symphony orchestras and 50 colleges and universities. Cambridge
Square and its environs make up an ethnically rich community of tightly
knit neighborhoods and academic institutions. The Freedom
Trail is a two-and-a-half-mile walking tour of 16 historic buildings,
sites and monuments that documents Boston’s remarkable contribution to
US history. Marked by a conspicuous red line, the trail winds past the
Park Street Church, the Granary Burying Ground (where Samuel Adams and
John Hancock are buried), the Old State House and the Old North Church,
the Charlestown Navy Yard with Old Ironsides… It is like
walking through time. And the
Charles River that separates Boston from Cambridge-its waters are clean,
and the fish caught from it make a delicious meal.
COPLEY
Square, Boston Trinity Church BOSTON IS
BEST DURING THE FALL, WHEN THE TREES SHOW OFF THEIR MULTICOLORED
SPLENDOR. IT's THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SIGHT IN THE WORLD. Energy
matters But as we
toured the city that was my home for three years, I found that the
ISIS-Institute of Science in Society had published its 2006 energy
report discussing the future of energy should the planet survive, the
use of renewable energy vis-à-vis oil, coal and dirty fossil fuels, as
well as biofuels, ethanol, solar and wind power, and waste. At the same
time, oil prices had reached another record high. Even worse, President
George W. Bush had announced the deployment of 6,000 troops to the
border of Mexico. For the
protection of Fortress America? What has happened to the land of the
free and the home of the brave? What has happened to the land founded by
immigrants? The world has
indeed changed and will never be the same. Traveling the
way it was-as in the book written by James Michener, "The Drifters,"
about the empty pristine beaches of Mozambique-is no more. Just the
same, the beauty of the Charles River brought me joy-and yet the New
England states were underwater! Indigenous
peoples On May 15,
the permanent forum on indigenous peoples’ rights began at the United
Nations. The keynote address was delivered by Victoria Tuali-Corpuz, a
Kankaney from Baguio City. She highlighted the many forums that had led
to this day, when the assembly will finally grant the social rights of
indigenous peoples-a right long overdue. (Viva Evo Morales of Bolivia!) Even as
Corpuz was delivering her address, the extractive industries of mining
and logging were continuing to wreak havoc on our beautiful land. (Think
of the mining activities in Bicol that are displacing people and
destroying the tourism industry in Donsol, Sorsogon, home of the famed
whale shark, and in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte.) More than
that, environmentalists are being killed. And up north in the Bering
Sea, the ice is melting. Global
warming has taken center stage, as noted by Time magazine and other
publications. This is no longer a joke; it is a clear and present danger
to humankind. Crazy but
true: Gone are the spring flowers, destroyed by the rains, gone are the
days when one could tell spring from summer, winter and fall. They seem
to all come at the same time. Yet the Kyoto
Climate Change Protocol has neither been ratified by our government nor
signed by the US government. Have the effects of "Katrina" and "Rita"
been forgotten so soon? Let us not
forget: We have only one Boston, and only one world. The author is
the president of the Ecological Society of the Philippines.
More eco
groups call for speedy Guimaras clean-up With the threat of more sea areas being exposed to
the dangers of oil spill and similar sea tragedies involving the natural
environment, more environmental groups yesterday called for more
vigilance against the prospect of marine pollution. The Visayan seas is rich with marine species and is
the migratory path of fishes plying the Indian and Pacipic oceans.
Similarly, the Visayan region is within the coral triangle and is touted
as a megabiodiversity region. While these damage done is irreversible,
according to Antonio M. Claparols, president of the Ecological Society,
a prominent environmental group in the country. Once bunker fuel or bunker oil seeps into the water,
they will not only affect the whole seashore and land areas immediately
surrounding the spill but will likewise settle into the bottom of the
ocean, immediately killing all living things there and its vicinities,
he explained. The Guimaras Strait is home to a variety of rich
marine species which is the main livelihood and source of food for
millions of people in its vicinity. The strict regulations involving inspection of the
ship and the trip of bunker fuel cargoes must be done on its point of
origin and every ship carrying them must pass stringent requirements
before they are allowed to venture into the sea, he added. With more and more ocean vessels plying our area of
responsibility, we cannot deny the fact that accidents of this kind
occur, and we must be a step ahead of any eventualities, Claparols said.
Investment on environment yields big returns – study Spending to protect the environment, from coral reefs
to forests, can bring big returns to aid a worldwide assault on poverty,
a leading domestic environmental group reported. The study even suggested that forests may be more
valuable when left standing rather than being cleared for crops because
trees can absorb the heart-trapping gases widely blamed for global
warming. The environment is not a luxury good, only affordable
when all other problems have been solved, according to Antonio M.
Claparols, head of the environmental group Ecological Society of the
Philippines. Annual investments of $60-$90 billion over 10-15
years are needed to reach a world goal of halving the proportion of
humanity living on less than a dollar a day, currently more than a
billion people, Claparols said, citing a study made by the United
Nations Environmental Protection Agency. A further $80 billion a year is needed to limit
global warming, widely linked to gases from burning fossil fuels in
factories, cars and power plants, over the next 50 years, Claparols
quoted the study as saying. Once invested, the UNEP study said every dollar spent
on clean water and sanitation in the Third World, for instance, could
bring $14 in benefits ranging from lower health care costs to higher
work productivity and school attendance. " Conservation of habitats and
ecosystems are also cost effective when compared with the shorterm
profits from environmentally damaging activities" including dynamite
fishing mining or defortestation, Claparols said.
Earth's last frontier It was our first trip to Alaska to attend the 8th
World Wilderness Congress in Anchorage. Alaska has always excited me, with its images of ice
caps, polar bears, glaciers and fjords. It is truly Earth’s last
frontier. Our trip last month began on board Alaska Airlines,
bringing to mind the accident that occurred on an MD-80 aircraft of the
same airlines years ago. Thankfully, this flight was restful, especially
after the long transpacific flight from Manila to Seattle. Through the plane window, we had a wonderful view of
Mt. Logan (the second highest mountain in North America) and Mt.
McKinley (also known by its original Athabaskan name, Denali, or "the
great one"). All we could see was the whiteness of snow and ice,
so clean and pure that we felt we were on top of the world, near
Heaven’s door. If only this were the case at home and many other
Third World countries whose environment continues to be degraded. (We
seem to have forgotten the disasters in the provinces of Ormoc, Quezon
and Aurora, because logging continues unabated.) Climate Change As I write this, the effects of hurricanes
Katrina and Rita are still being assessed. It seems people all over the world value the
environment only after a disaster occurs and they are personally
affected. For one thing, they are still debating whether the hurricanes
were caused by global warning and climate change or, incredibly, were
just freak storms. While all countries, except for the United States and
Australia, have signed the Kyoto Climate Change Protocol, the weather
has changed all over the planet. The record floods and forest fires in
Europe and Asia have devastated countries, peoples, cultures and
economies. The world has definitely changed. It is our hope that
last month’s Wilderness Congress will make a difference and send a
strong message to the powers that be that the threat is real. We cannot fight a war against nature because we just
won’t win. We are one with nature; she gives us life. We must pay rent
to live in God’s creation. Meltdown The Anchorage Daily News reports that the Arctic ice
meltdown continues its rapid pace. The Arctic sea ice has melted back
farther this year than in 25 years of satellite monitoring, making the
past summer the fourth consecutive summer with a stunning reduction in
the polar pack north of Alaska, Asia and Europe, according to scientist
at the National Snow and Ice Data Center and NASA. Should this trend continue, the effects will be
catastrophic. The temperature will soar, and humankind and wildlife will
be in danger of extinction. Greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced--and this is
a fact. Wilderness areas are good not only for biodiversity
conversation but also for the soul and spirit. As Clem Tillion, former Senate president of the state
of Alaska, said when he first moved there more than 40 years ago as a
young man: "You must think like the mountains: You take care of me and I
will take care of you." (Both have kept their promise.) ‘Cradle of mankind’ On the first plenary day of the Wilderness Congress,
Dr. Ian Player of South Africa delivered the keynote address, which was
one of the most inspiring speeches we have ever heard. When he spoke about the "cradle of mankind" and how
man has destroyed a planet that God had created so well, the applause
was thundering. Carlos Manuel Rodriguez Echandi, Costa Rica’s
minister of the environment, energy and mining, spoke of how the Costa
Rican government had banned oil drilling, mining and deforestation, and
how the wilderness had given them so much more income that they had even
instituted a biodiversity tax incentive. Echandi also mentioned the many grievous practice of
multinational corporations and First World countries that had brought
about climate change. Sheila Watt-Cloutier, chair of the Inuit Circumpolar
Conference, echoed Echandi’s observations and narrated how fer people
had been experiencing the realties of global warning. The ice is melting and species from the tropics have
migrated north, she said. Her warning was clear: the rising temperature means
that the age of extinction has come.
View of the Kenai Mountains on the way to Seward town Global commons David Rockefeller Jr. spoke on the importance of
ocean ownership ethics and the global commons that must be protected. Dr. Sylvia Earle stressed the value of the oceans and
the necessity of conserving the marine environment that fives us life. Dr. Trista Patterson, an ecological economist of the
US Department of Agriculture forest service, informed the delegates that
ecosystem services were producing more than $33 trillion in ecological
economic benefits yearly, unlike the extractive industries such as
mining that destroy the environment. The Wilderness Congress brimmed with information on
the importance of wilderness areas, vital statistics to show how much we
would derive from conserving the environment, and the compassion and
commitment required to save our dying planet. It’s true: We can all make a difference and reverse
the destruction. Bouncing back Anchorage is a beautiful city. It was Good Friday on March 27, 1964, when an
earthquake shook Anchorage and devastated it, the city being part of the
Aleutian Chain and of the Pacific Ocean’s "Ring of Fire." Today, Anchorage has bounced back—and has developed
into a center of commerce. Lake hood and Lake Spenard are home to seaplanes
which one can board to view the many scenic sites of Alaska. The lakes boast of more air traffic than most
commercial airports. It is a site I have never seen before—a lake
airport without birds and boats. We traveled south to Seward, a town 120 miles from
Anchorage, to view the Kenai Mountains and the fjords. Here where glaciers and wildlife abound, one can say
that Alaska is indeed the last frontier—and it must be preserved. But we were said to note that when Alaska became the
49th sate of the United States in 1959, concessions were made
to allow the federal government to extract its mineral wealth,
endangering the very fragile environment. There are plans to explore its oil reserves to run
the US engine. Opposition to the plan has risen quickly, but more than
that, the issue of global warning and climate change is crying out to be
addressed. We urge all governments to ratify the Kyoto Climate
Change Protocol and reduce greenhouse gases. We also urge our own
government and lawmakers to ratify the Cartagena Biosafety Protocol. If not, we can say goodbye to Alaska and farewell to
Planet Earth.
Filipino
farmers find another way Filipino farmers have discovered an innovative way of solving the corn borer problem-instead of the bacillus thuriengsis (bt). The use of Trichogramma wasps, a natural enemy of the corn borer to control infestations has been proven safe and effective. Farmers who shifter to the wasps say they have stopped using chemicals altogether because they have seen its effectiveness in controlling corn borer populations. The low cost, availability, efficiency and significant reduction of chemical inputs have made trichogramma an extremely attractive option for farmers. These have contributed to the success rate of the program which has effectively reduced the occurrence of corn borers by 80-85 percent in the province of Isabela. The National Corp Protection Center even promotes its use for an innovative farmer-oriented and environment-friendly solution. This is in clear contract with Monsanto's Bt corn seeds which can cost as high P4,400 to P4,900 per 18-kg. bag in comparison with conventional corn varieties (in which the farmers apply Trichogramma wasps) which costs a lot lower, starting from P1,500 for conventionally bred hybrid seeds to a low as P460 for open pollinated varieties (OPVs). "Bt corn varieties also require higher fertilizer inputs which makes it clear from the very beginning that planting Bt corn is actually a lot more expensive than conventional varieties" says Daniel Ocampo of Greenpeace. Farmer Tomas Datinguinoo of Naujan, Oriental Mindoro publicly exposed his experience of failure from Bt corn. "After hearing that Bt corn will mean higher yields and will not be attacked by the corn borers. However, after planting three hectares of Bt corn I decided to go back to conventional varieties because I did no earn more than I used to due to the high cost of seeds and inputs. I was advised by Monsanto agent to use 15 bags of fertilizer per hectare which amounted to thousand of pesos and after selling my harvest I only have broke even," said Datinguinoo. The Greenpeace report also challenges Monsanto's claims that Bt corn is the answer to Asiatic Corn Borer, Bt corn kills the corn borer by means of bacillus thuriengsis strain incorporated into genetic makeup, which according to Monsanto to reduces the need for pesticides. However, Bt corn also kills beneficial insects and contaminates soil, sometimes remaining active in Bt-planted plots for more than 200 days during cool periods. This accumulation can have possible long-term detrimental effects on soil health. "Clearly an effective solution to control corn borer exists. And Bt corn is a burden, not a boon. We call on the government to re-evaluate its position on Bt corn's commercialization" Ocampo said.
Why
biodiversity is important Ecological biodiversity encompasses 40 percent of the global economy - based on biological products and processes. It has sustained human livelihood and life itself. Too, it has allowed significant increases in the production of food and other natural materials, which in turn, fed the growth and development of human societies. Through close interventions and manipulations, humans, have created thousands of new crop varieties and livestock breeds with distinct development benefits. It is also important in the innumerable environmental services that keep us and the environmental services that keep us and the environment alive - from clean water and watershed services to the recycling of nutrients and pollination. Maintaining the potential for adaptation is important as it allows organisms to adapt to modifications in the environment such as climate. It is also allows farmers and breeders to alter and create new varieties by crossing genetic lines, thus boosting productivity and enabling the same species to be grown across a huge variety of climatic and ecological conditions. Take, as an example, a single crop such as wheat. The genetic diversity held within this crop and its wild relatives has allowed selective adaptation, making it successfully grown across a vast range of different climatic zones, from North America and Africa to Asia and Australia. Throughout history, societies have protected areas they consider valuable. Conservation has taken many different forms: national parks or sacred sites and imposing use restrictions on certain plants or animals known as in situ conservation. Specific areas have most often been set aside for such reasons as their rare ecology (endemic or Red Listed species) or exceptionally high species diversity: their critical environmental services such as watershed protection or evolutionary functions. Another important aspect is their continued use by indigenous peoples who are still pursuing 'traditional' lifestyles based on 'wild' resources. The pattern of declining support for biodiversity conservation has been to some extent countered by the Global Environment Facility and other smaller funding facilities. To these days, the deficit remains large and governments in developing countries are unlikely to devote the necessary resources to conservation in the near or medium term. New sources of funding and new forms of partnership in biodiversity conservation are critically required. This is where the private sector, including the mining and minerals industry can further develop their role.
Environmental storm off Bangkok
This story began on November 14 last year,
when a storm was blowing as we left Manila en route to Bangkok, Thailand, to
attend the 3rd World Conservation Congress. Thailand was an appropriate host for the
10-day congress. From the northern region of Chiang Rai where the Mekong
giant catfish is in danger of extinction to the southern part of Trang where
the coastal resources are under severe stress, the country boasts a rich
biodiversity, forested mountains, a varied geology, wet and dry climates and
a complex coastline marked by clear waters around coral reefs and turbid
waters lapping at mud flats. As many as 118 motions were presented on
the state of the planet, including the over 15,000 species facing extinction
as well as the effects of climate change and global warming. With over a billion people in the world
living below the poverty line – a state of affairs compounded by the rapid
degradation of the Earth’s resources – it has become apparent to all that
the environment must be protected and conserved to eradicate poverty and to
implement the UN Millennium Development goals. After intense debates, the first
resolution adopted was a moratorium on the release of genetically modified
resources. It was a historical landmark, with the IUCN (the World
Conservation Union) adopting it, as did 63 percent of the countries
(including Thailand and 89 percent of the nongovernment organizations
present. The adaptation of the resolution merited
an ovation that made the congress hall shake. It was also a personal milestone for me as
regional councilor of the IUCN, which I served for two terms (I was elected
in Montreal, Canada, in 1996 and reelected in Amman, Jordan, in 2000). With
the Bangkok conference marking the end of my term, I could not express the
euphoria I felt at the passage of the resolution. Among the other resolution passed were
those involving the importance of corporate responsibility in arresting
environmental degradation, and the protection of the oceans and water
systems.
MINING All over the world, extractive industries
continue to exploit the mineral resources of developing nations. As reported in the Asia Wall Street
Journal, the Indonesian government has announced that the Newmont Mining,
the world’s largest gold-mining company, has polluted the waters in Sulawesi. It is now reportedly preparing for a
potentially bruising legal battle with one of its largest foreign investors. Here at home, we have not learned lessons
from the past such as the destruction wrought by mining in Marinduque, in
the Cordillera Mountains, in the Visayas and Mindanao. We must learn from all these and tackle
the issues of mines and the prior and informed consent of our indigenous
peoples. Water, the source of all life, is a dying
resource. It must be protected and given more attention. Without water,
Mother Earth will cease to exist. The closing ceremony of the 3rd
World Conservation Congress was bigger and brighter than any of the past
congresses and general assemblies. As the delegates headed home, the question
in their minds was probably how the conference would help them and their
countries address the alarming state of the Earth’s health. Even then, the effects of global warming
and climate change were being shown in alarming ways. Even then, the ecological time bomb was
clicking faster and could just explode before we reached home. One thing was clear: The many issues
discussed and the many resolutions adopted in the congress should evolve
from mere words into action on the ground. Thailand, a land rich in history and
biodiversity, showed all the the delegates that like many other countries,
she needed our help. It was the words of Suwit Khunkitti, the
Thai minister of natural resources, that touched me most. HE said we should
follow the example of the King and Queen in conserving nature; we must as a
species stop the destruction of our environment. Fittingly, on Nov. 26 the people of
Thailand engaged in the Loi Krathong celebration. They lighted floats on the river to ask
for forgiveness for polluting the water, and at the same time expressed
their thanks for the water that had given them life. It was a stirring message that we should
all take to heart. Let us give mother Earth back what we have
forgotten from her, for the benefit of generations to come. We don’t have the luxury of time. The author is the president of the
Ecological Society of the Phils.
Kyoto Protocol: What's there to celebrate? Amids celebration on Kyoto Protocol's coming into force recently others are equally finding cause for grave concern. A coalition of non-government organizations (NGOs), environmentalists, activists, communities, scientists and economists across the world are mostly concerned about the climate crisis. The Durban Group, for instance, charged that the 1997 climate treaty not only fails to cut greenhouse gas emissions enough to avert climate devastation, but steals from the poor to give to the rich. The Kyoto Protocol says that industrialized country signatories must reduce their emissions by 5.2 percent below 1990 levels by 2008-2012. The group, however, insists that this amount is not enough; it must be what the scientific community has called for which is a global reductions of over 60 percent below the 1990 levels. What's more, the carbon trading promoted by the Protocol hands Northern governments and corporations lucrative tradable rights in the use of the Earth's natural carbon-cycling capacity, effectively stealing a public good away from most of the planet's inhabitants. Just last month, Danish power utility Energi E2 sold hundreds of dollars of the rights it had been granted free by its government to Shell after mild temperatures kept the utility's carbon emissions below expected levels. No such free rights have been granted to ordinary citizens. Attempt of the Kyoto Protocol to create "carbon dioxide-saving" projects in poorer countries is meanwhile stirring protests from Brazil to Africa. Such projects - which include industrial tree plantations and schemes to burn off landfill gas - are designed to license big emitters in the rich North to go on using fossil fuels. But they usurp land and water ordinary people need for their purposes. Says Jutta Kill of Sinkswatch, a British-based watchdog organization: "You simply can't verify whether a power plant's emissions can be compensated for by tree plantations or other projects. In addition, Kill notes that almost all methods proposed so far to prove show how much carbon is saved by Kyoto's "carbon saving" projects have been rejected by the United Nations itself. People are beginning to realize that this ENRON accounting," she says. It is ironic that the World Bank, which has a mission of entrenching the fossil fuel industry's is now advertising itself as solving the climate crisis," as Nadia Martinez of the Sustainable and Environment in on Washington. "If we are to avert a climate crisis, drastic reductions in fossil fuel investments and use inescapable, as is the protection of remaining native forests," confirms Heidi Bachram of Carbon Trade Watch. "We're joining many other movements of Northern and Southern people to take the climate back into our hands."
The impact of abandoned mine
sites There are thousands upon thousands of abandoned mine sites across the world and these are posing problems in the communities that hosted them because they are found to pollute the environment. On the social side, after mining ceases, many communities fell into serious economic and social decline. The legacy of old abandoned mines then becomes an obstacle to sustainable development resulting in widespread poverty and environmental degradation. In the process of transforming a mine that ceases to operate into a new community, the inventory of buried wastes, unstable ground, new landforms and vegetation types may still create new landforms that may still create new forms of vulnerability when the mining company finally withdraws. Attempts at quantifying the number of abandoned mine sites have produced astoundingly high figures. IN the United States of America alone, around 560,000 sites are recorded: 230,000 need revegetation; 115,000 are unsafe to some degree; 15,000 are polluting surface or ground water; 50 are super fund sites. The amount of waste stockpiled on the surface is 50 billion tons with an estimated total cost of $50 billion for remediation. Slovakia, a much smaller country has 17,290 old mines; Hungary has 7,000 old mines (with 715 abandoned and suspended mines) and Romania with 47 closed mines with waste dumps. In most countries data are scarce and we are forced to rely on anecdotal evidence. The impacts-both social and economic - have never been systematically evaluated. Nevertheless, we can safely assume they are substantial. The enormous financial liability in systematic rehabilitation program has prevented any mining agency or company from getting involved in the abandoned mine sites problem. In the US the cost for remediation has been estimated at $50 billion. Even a small percentage of the total cost burden, if it were to be legally attributed would cripple the target mining firm. Attempts to assign responsibility to the mining problem are met with the response that it was not the present companies that caused the problem, that the government has had the benefit of taxes from the past activity and should now look after the consequences.
Immediate
implementation of With the death toll rising and so much destruction to lives, property and communities the unquestionable fact that illegal logging is the main culprit and the failure of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources to monitor and protect the country's forests. The Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) has called for a total logging ban a long time ago. That was not heeded as usual. We are reiterating our call for a total logging ban and cancellation of all timber licensing agreements (TLAs) and the persecution of all illegal loggers. We cannot allow our people and country to suffer more harm to lives and environment. The tragedy in Ormoc where more than one thousand lives were lost in floods and landslides is enough for us to learn lesson. But alas, this not happening, despite a call for the total log ban 25 years ago. Decades of rampant illegal logging have made flashfloods and landslides deadlier which officials and environmentalists including ESP blame as the cause of the wanton damages brought in by two weeks of devastating storms - Unding, Winnie and Yoyong - that left more than a thousand dead and missing - mostly in Quezon: a grim reminder of Ormoc. This time there is no excuse. The destruction of the last virgin forest continues through logging. The Sierra Madre mountains, home to our last virgin forest on Luzon Island must be protected with total logging ban. Mother Nature is sending us a very strong message. Act now or suffer the consequences of inaction. Have a total logging ban and cancel those TLAs. Take stock, as well as, create jobs that will enhance biodiversity - and protect our environment, Otherwise this will continue to wreck havoc to our country and people if these are not addressed as soon as possible. Our total forest cover is now only three percent from 20 percent way, way back; it must be allowed to replenish itself. Economic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri says a total logging ban will reduce our reserves,. If our forest cover is more 20 percent, then we will be richer and more productive with food and environment security. The time is now or 25 years ago. The arguments of selective and total logging ban are the same and the players are the same. And the victims are the people.
US asks Vatican to
endorse GM food plants The United States through its Ambassador to the Holy See, James Nicholson, is attempting to convince the Pontifical Academy of Sciences that genetically modified (GM) food plants is not just a scientific innovation but also a moral leap forward for mankind. The United States is fighting off moral resistance to the widespread acceptance of the technology. The opposition advances the argument that GM foods have adverse effect on the environment, human health and traditional farming practices. The Vatican has yet to make up its mind on the issue amidst some opposition to GM food within the Church. The US Embassy at the Holy See was co-sponsor of the recent Gregorion University conference titles "Feeding a Hungry World: The Moral Imperative of Biotechnology." Earlier this month, the Sydney-based Columbian Centre for Peace and Ecology expressed concern that with the lobby continuing the US would be successful in getting the Vatican to accept the proposition the moral "moral imperative" of accepting that using GM foods will alleviate world hunger. Anxious that Catholics should familiarize themselves with the issues the center circulated the contrary opinions of Irish Columbian Activist Father Sean McDonagh who believes strongly that it is the US multi-nationals that stand to benefit most from GM crops. The National Catholic Reporter’s John Allen quotes a statement from US Holy Cross Brother David Andrews executive director of the country’s National Catholic Rural Life Conference: "The Pontifical Academy of Sciences has allowed itself to be subordinated to the Unite States government’s insistent advocacy of biotechnology and of the companies which market it. "Surely, among the structures of sin in the world today are agro-food corporations that steer the goods of the earth toward themselves solely for profit. If one thinks that the focus of these multi-national firms and their supporters is to cure the world hunger but this is not true." Jesuits Roland Lessep and Peter Henriot, both experts on agriculture in the developing world-both living in Zambia. The two experts argued that the conference at the Gregorian University was based on faulty premises. Hunger, the two Jesuits said, is a problem not of production but of distribution. "The world produces enough food, but it is not justly distributed," they wrote. "While millions suffer from hunger and malnutrition, others suffer from obesity." Ambassador James Nicholson charged the negative forces at the conference with cultural imperialism "The worst form of cultural imperialism is to deny others the opportunities we have to take advantage of new technologies to raise up to human condition, he said. Vatican sources told the National Catholic Reporter that an explicit statement on genetically modified crops is unlikely from the Holy See in the near future but most officials seem inclined to give it a "yellow light" which means proceed with caution. (Antonio M. Claparols is president of the Ecological Society of the Philippines and IUCN regional councilor)
Save Paris, Save
Earth PARIS
never fails to amaze me. It has become my home in Europe and never fails to
recharge me. It shows the way to ecological health and symbolizes hope for a
better world. Heading to the place de St. Michel in the Latin Quarter,
I behold the statue of St. Michael standing victoriously over the devil. (A
metaphor for the task all of us concerned with the environment are facing: A
bit weak but united, we fight the strong to prevent an ecological disaster.) Strolling along the Quai Voltaire and crossing the Pont
des Arts, entering the Palais Royale to the Louvre, down to the Jardin du
Tuileries to the Pace de la Concorde to the Avenue du Champs Elysees to the
Arc de Triomphe, I reflect on this wonderful city that is so full of life
and so diverse in cultures. This is our road, and the Paris I have gotten to love.
The immortal words liberté, egalité, franternité, will
always serve to fire our resolve to make a better world tomorrow.
Despite all the work and tension I face when I attend an
IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources)
meeting in Gland, Switzerland the thought of later seeing Paris saves the
day. The meeting earlier this year dwelt on issues concerning
the sate of the environment – climate change, GMOs (genetically modified
organisms), water, marine ecosystems, poverty and the UN Millennium
Development goals. The IUCN is the larges international non-government
organization. IT is composed of over 1,000 members-states, government
agencies and other NGOs. From the smallest issue of water and agriculture in small
island-states like the Bahamas to GMOs in Sourth Africa and the debate over
GMOs between the United States, Europe and the world, from bird flu to mad
cow to SARS, the IUCN concerns itself with it. I am horrified by the rapid deterioration of the planet’s
natural capital. Horrified as well by the continued poaching, illegal
logging and expanding erosion of our forests, as well as by the rapid
decline of our most basic resource, water- the source of all life on Earth.
Soon, wars will be waged to control this natural
resource.
I think of lovely Paris (and equally lovely Switzerland)
and I feel like shouting in the loudest of voices: Take care of our
environment. Stop polluting our land and water. Stop extracting our minerals
and leaving a legacy of mining pollution and other atrocities. Let us be vigilant and preserve our biodiversity. The World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Asian
Development Bank and all other multi-lending institutions – their frame
works must change. If not, the destruction of both the developing and
developed worlds will be a certainty. Our planet is plagued. Global warning is as real as the
sun’s heat and will spare no one, not even those who, like the United
States, refuse to sign the Kyoto Climate Change Protocol. There will be no place for them to hide and seek refuge
in. Paris remains lovely, but Earth is overheating. With the passing of time, there is only a shortness of
life left to restore.
Across the globe hundreds of species of frogs, toads,
salamanders and newts are in dramatic decline. These species are exquisitely
sensitive to environmental change and, in more ways than one, are
environmental Cassandras prophesying a message of environmental degradation
that we don’t want to hear. At the same time, new and serious infectious diseases are
emerging, killing not only humans but animals as well. It’s plain to see that our planet has almost reached a
state of ecological irreversibility, and that the end of the world as we
know it draws ever nearer. The signals are clear: air and water resources swiftly
dwindling, species going extinct even before they are discovered, the polar
caps melting. We must move now to save Earth. Or we will lose
everything, including Paris. (The author is president of the Ecological Society of the
Philippines and regional councilor of the IUCN.)
Logging and mining endanger life on Earth Despite warnings that logging and mining are hazardous to life on Earth. The two activities continue without let-up and are becoming widespread because they provide economic benefits to growing economies. Up to this day no once can prove that mining is economically, socially and environmentally viable. This is a critique of Prof. Alejandro Nadal of the University of Mexico and a member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Commission on Economic, Environmental and Social Policy. The universal suffering of people worldwide brought about by the abuse on the environment can not be helped by numerous laws - for the protection of nature from destruction - which are helpless in sustaining the fragileness of life on Earth. One need not look far consider mineral-rich countries like South Africa, Peru and the Philippines. Despite the vaunted richness of our natural resources, the people remain poor. With the shortage of oil worldwide caused by the continuing war in Iraq, environmental destruction in the search for more oil will become widespread. Water, clean air and rich biodiversity will be hard to come by. Even the genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are becoming natural species as claimed by multinational firms. Such species and monarch butterfly are viciously affected. The Cartagena Biosafety Protocol's moratorium on GMOs must be followed until they are proven safe beyond reasonable doubt or our environment including agriculture will suffer. The threshold of life has never been more fragile. We call on the government and leaders of the world to have the political will to protect and conserve our environment and natural resources or face the consequence of ecological disaster. The signs are clear and we must heed the call of nature. (Mr. Claparols is president of the Ecological Society of the Philippines and IUCN Councilor.)
Studies show bad effects of GM foods Base on Dr. Mae-Wan Ho's report on the findings of Italian scientist that GM (genetically modified) foods have bad effects on human health, environment agriculture the Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) is asking the Senate to immediately ratify the Cartagena Protocol and follow the precautionary principle. One study shows that the liver cells of mice fed GM soya are more active in gene expression exhibiting further evidence that GM feed affects the physiology of animals for reasons yet unknown. Another study results in Bt toxin binding to mouse intestine. Years after Bt corn have been commercially planted on millions of hectares worldwide, a Bt toxin is found to be highly immunogenic. A third study reveals transgenic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and Bt toxin survive digestion. Which means that neither DNA nor toxin protein breaks down completely in the gut. In the first study, researchers in Italy from the University of Urbino and University of Perugia have investigated the effects of GM soya mixed in the feed on the liver newborn mice. Pregnant Swiss mice were fed on a standard lab chow containing wheat, barley, miaze, lafa, skimmed milk minerals and 14 percent of GM soyabean engineered for tolerance to roundup(glyphosate) herbicide. Control mice were fed on the same lab chow plus wild soybean. The two sets of litters were analyzed at different times after birth. No significant differences in body weight or liver weight were found. But when the livers of the mice were examined on electron microscopy, significant differences became apparent. Antibody labeling in GM-fed mice compared to controls for all gene-splicing factors, indicating a high level of gene expression. But there were no differences in enzyme activities in the rest of the cell, indicating that metabolic activity has not increased. The results suggest that GM-fed mice liver modify their metabolic activity, especially in transcriptional activities without increasing major proteins or changing the cytoplasm. But "the mechanism responsible for such alternation remain unknown." In the second study researchers from the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Flavana, Cuba, reported in 1999 that Cry 1 Ac is a powerful immunogen and when fed mice, induced antibody responses similar to those obtained with the cholera toxin. In 2000, Cuban researchers teamed up with scientist from the Autonomous University of Mexico in Cuautitla, Mexico and showed that Cry 1 Ac actively blinds to the inner and surface of the mouse small intestines, especially to the "brush order" and membranes on the side of the cells that line the small intestines.
(Antonio M. Claparols is president of the
Ecological Society of the Philippines and IUCN regional councilor)
Water, food must
be among Water and food are among the ten most cost effective priorities that governments can invest in to improve global welfare. This is what a panel of eight of the world's most distinguished economists believe will address the problem of hunger and malnutrition. The panel is the Copenhagen Consensus Project - which includes three Nobel Laureates meeting under the auspices of the Environmental Assessment Institute. The Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) is calling on governments to make water and sanitation, food security, and environment security top priorities in their policies. The ESP believes that the preservation of the environment is directly connected with the efforts to stamp out poverty. With healthy ecology, employment opportunities will follow, resulting in food security and expansion of economic benefits. Professor Frank Rijsberman, director general of the Colombo-based International Water Management Institute (IWMI) presented the Water and Sanitation Challenge paper which scored highly among the priorities ranked by experts. The three investment priorities proposed by the professor are: small scale water technology for livelihood (ranked 6th), community managed water supply and sanitation (7th) and research on water productivity in food production (8th). Explains Rijsberman: "The panel's decision clearly shows that investments in urban water services and rural water management should be at the forefront of policy decisions if real progress is to be made in improving people's lives in the developing world. Providing safe water and good sanitation is fundamental to people's health and welfare but finding sustainable solutions to produce more food with less water while safeguarding the environment is equally important." According to Rijsberman three quarters on the world's poor are dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods. As the demand for food increases, so does the demand water which leads to increased competition with other users such as the environment. Investment in large-scale irrigation systems have helped feed growing population in some countries. In many cases, the poorest have not seen the benefits. Rijsberman points tot the considerable opportunities to be gained if more attentions is given to developing public-private partnerships between governments and farmers that adopt a bottoms-up approach to water management. There are low cost approaches that increases the control farmers have over source water supplies: small scale irrigation technologies such as drip irrigation and rainwater collection. There is clear evidence from Asia that community-based small scale interventions have had a significant impact on poverty and malnutrition. The challenges and prospects are already being addressed by CGLAR (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research). Its Challenge Program on Water and Food, a global research initiatives to find ways of producing more foods in less water. More researches are being undertaken to address water scarcity. New salt and drought resistant strains of crops are being developed with farming techniques using less water. Agriculture uses up to 90 percent of developed water resources and in the coming decades there will be increasing demands as the world's population grows. The CGLAR network of agricultural research center is at the forefront of the response to many of the challenges prioritized in the Copenhagen Consensus Project. Moreover, it is leading global research initiatives on improving water productivity in food production as it is squarely focused on addressing malnutrition. Research into the advancement of new agricultural technologies and the provision of micro-nutrients in crops is already well-developed.
(Antonio M. Claparols is president of the
Ecological Society of the Philippines and IUCN regional councilor)
Doubts raised over
FAO The commission on Environmental Economic and Social Policy (CEESP) of the World Conservation Union takes strong exception to the support expressed by the Food and Agriculture Organization to the support express by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for agricultural biotechnology in its "State of Food and Agriculture 2003-2004 Report." In a letter sent to United Nations-FAO Director General Jacques Diouff, Taghi Farvar, chairman of the IUCN Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy, said: "Our organization is very skeptical of any technological quick fix solution to the problem of hunger, which we maintain, is primarily a problem of rights relating to control over means of agricultural production, food distribution systems, purchasing power among many others that a problem of lack of technology. The promises of agricultural biotechnology in the report must be assessed on the merit of whether or not they meet the needs and demands coming from food producers. Direct citizen engagements and negotiations on the content, purpose and potential risks of scientific innovations and other groups who are usually marginalized in any debate on "scientific" issues. In the light of FAO having established a mechanis, it is puzzling why they executed their call for GMO-free agricultural development from its SOFA report. Genetic engineering must be weighed against an assessment of whether there are viable alternative solutions to the problem it attempts to solve. Many of the production problems which GM technologies are aiming to solve can be tackled in other ways by farmers - with much less risks and expense - using agroecological approaches that emphasize the multiple functions of agriculture. Traditional methods such as selective breeding and other farmer-based approaches have withstood the test of time and public acceptance in variety of agroecosystems, regions and cultural needs. The crucial questions is: "Why should the word opt for a risky and expensive technology that is likely to remain out of reach of most of the world's marginal farmers and whose long term impacts are at best uncertain and at worst horrifying which is geared towards food processing consumer, niche markets and uniformity when there are already viable available alternatives?" Hunger in the world is growing again despite the fact that global per capital food production has been higher than ever before. Issues on access and distribution are far more important than technology. If there is something to be learned from the failures of Green Revolution it is that technological "advances" in crop genetic for seeds that respond to external inputs go hand in hand with increased socio-economic polarization, rural and urban impoverishment and greater food insecurity. The tragedy of the Green Revolution lies precisely in its narrow technological focus that ignored the far more important social and structural underpinnings of hunger. The technology strengthened the very structure that promotes hunger. A new "gene revolution" will only exacerbate the worst errors of the Green Revolution. History demonstrates that structural changes in access land, food and political power - combined with robust ecological technologies via farmer led research- reduce hunger and poverty. The gene revolution based on astronomically costly, elite, industry dominated research using patented technologies will take us to the opposite direction. The same resources, if directed to farmer-lead, participatory research networks would generate far more equitable, productive and ecologically sound technologies. Although the 200-plus page document struggles to appear neutral, it is highly biased, and ignores available evidence of adverse ecological economic and health impacts of genetically engineered crops. An example is the report bluntly stating that transgenic crops have delivered economic benefits to farmer and helped reduce the use of pesticides. Although the FAO report mentions that genetic engineering is dominated by corporations, it overlooks the facts that only one company - Monsanto - owns the GM seed technology sown over 90 percent of the total world area planted transgenic. Only five companies control the transgenic seed market. This represents an unprecedented dependence of farmers on global agribusiness that FAO should view with alarm and for which FAO should propose alternatives. This assertion is based on field data from highly selective studies of Bt corn. Contradictory research is ignored. The data used in India is based exclusively on field trials conducted by Monsanto in 2001. The report ignores data collected from farmers' field trials by several state governments and other independent researchers during the 2002 season (the year Bt corn was released). These show that Bt corn failed. The small inconclusive studies of Bt corn in Mexico, Argentina and South Africa are used to bolster for transgenic cotton varieties. Genetic contamination is polluting the very heart of the world's centers of crop diversity. And yet FAO brushes aside this tragedy with hardly a comment. For the very cultures that created agriculture this is an aggression against their life, against the crops they nurtured and against their food security. For several decades FAO has been leading an international debate to address the issue of genetic erosion. With the coming of genetic engineering the threat of erosion has increased. As the normative inter-governmental institution for genetic resources FAO should be developing policies to prevent genetic erosion and take action to address the negative global implications. According to the CEESP, hunger is not caused by lack of food (these days, more food is produced per person than at any other time in history), but by social and political factors. (Antonio M. Claparols is president of Ecological Society of the Philippines and IUCN regional councilor)
Where have all the flowers gone Going to the Pine City of Baguio is not what it used to be. We were fortunate enough to see it when the scent of pine was the air that we breathe. Those were the good old days. I am not saying it cannot be done, to turn back the clock to have the second chance. When we used to travel to Baguio by land, ll that we saw were farmlands, we had food security. From the Central Plains to the foot of the Cordillera Mountain all was farmlands and rivers filled with water. We had water in abundance. Once we entered Benguet the forest lush and green, the river beside Kennon Road was gushing with clear water. We were greeted by the scent of Pine as we entered the city of Baguio. Today, our beloved Baguio City and summer capital has developed every square inch and is expanding into an urban jungle. We say learn from other cities and be sustainable and clean. Gone are the farmlands plying the scenic route to Baguio. Gone-are all the greenery and rivers of water, every farm has been turned into concrete. They took away our food security. They felled the forest that gave us water. They built and populated the air. They took away the scent of Pine, our basic rights, our air, water, food, forest, mineral wealth, biodiversity, culture and built an urban jungle. People, it is not too late to reverse the tide. Do your share and call on the government to stop the ecological time bomb from ticking and give us back the scent of pine air. We all must do our share and like flowers bloom in numbers and heroes we are for the environment. The future of human kind is in danger and it is our duty to protect Mother Earth -- Antonio M. Claparols, ESP President and IUCN Regional Councilor.
Environment not to
be taken Ecological Society of the Philippines, a leading environmentalist, is calling on our government to stop playing with our environment particularly the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The floods in Leyte and other parts of the country could have been avoided if the government has heeded the warnings made years ago. The bill filed for a total logging ban on virgin forest has not taken root and illegal loggers are responsible for the catastrophe. The DENR should present a comprehensive environmental preservation plan for the areas that recently was devastated by the landslides. Antonio Claparols - ESP President said, "we cannot afford to take environmental concerns on a piece meal basis floods will not stop, they will get worse as our virgin forest are wantonly destroyed. The remaining 10 percent cannot sustain our country efforts to curve illegal logging and to protect the forest are essential for survival. The devastation of Leyte where many have died due to the recent landslides have for many generations been planted with coconut, which was the country's export product since 1800 until late 1990's, but the root system of the coconut is not able to held the soil as strongly as the forest trees which runs a lot deeply. Now, coconut is no longer imperative as it was 2 or 3 decades. Our farmers have to be given a viable alternative where they can earn a cent living but at the same time is environmentally sustainable, Claparols said. Slopes of over 18 percent cannot be developed nor planted with coconut trees. They will come down and that is what happened in Leyte. We call on the DENR Secretary to fulfill the mandate and for the people to participate in the conservation of our environment. With the COP 7-Conference of Parties scheduled this February in Kuala Lumpur. We call on our leaders to show the world that we can do it. We only have one earth and she is dying. We must protect her. We call on the people to rally behind the environment so we can have clean air, water, and eradicate poverty with environmental security.
Cry freedom in
South Africa Our journey back to South Africa began in Durban for the 5th World Parks Congress on September 8-17. It was a journey filled with emotion. (The congress was in many ways reminiscent of the past as the extractive industry tried to control the outcome of the Durban Accord and Action Plan. After 10 days of tense deliberations, debates and dialogues, victory loomed on the horizon. At last, the Durban Accord and Action Plan were finalized.)
After heated debates, we traveled to the Kruger National Park, which then South African President Paul Kruger declared in 1898 as a national reserve and protected area. The park covers more than two million hectares governed by the law of the wild, populated by predator and prey, where humans come second to wildlife. Our sojourn took us to the Blyde River Canyon, the third largest canyon in the world (after the Grand Canyon in the United States and the canyon bordering Central Africa). We saw the magic of Mpumalanga-the mountains, mining towns, waterfalls and valleys. South Africa's great high veld plateau end at an escarpment from which thundering waterfalls flow from forested cliff and the horizon undulates under the vast sky. Situated near the borders of Mozambique and the Kingdom of Swaziland, it is a province of subtropical savannahs, deep ravines, emerald valleys. crystal-clear streams, teeming wildlife-and a fascinating history. Kruger was an avid hunter who realized that the wildlife and the environment were fast fetting destroyed and that the British empire was going to invade his beloved South Africa for its rich gold reserves. In 1899, he declared war against the British empire. In this Anglo-Boer War, his 40,000 farmer fought more than 500,000 English troops until 1902. The first year was a success as his untrained farmers outfought the skilled army of the Union Jack. The issue: gold. This-mining vs the conservation movement-was among the issues that heated the Durban Congress. It's true: Those who do not know the history will be dammed to repeat it. In the second year of the Anglo-Boer War, South Africa's farmers began to lose, and on the third year, Kruger traveled to Europe to seek the commitment of other countries to send arms and troops. But no troops were sent, and the mighty British empire eventually defeated the farmers of South Africa. On the other side of the world, Filipino Katipuneros were winning battle after battles against Spain in the war for independence, only to fight a new power, the American military, that defeated the Spanish Armada in Manila Bay. Yes, the Philippines and South Africa share many similarities. We are both rich in natural resources, and there are historical lessons from which we both can learn. I could not imagine how beautiful and rich South Africa could be so poor. I could only compare it, sadly, with our beautiful and rich Pearl of the Orient.
Our journey also took us to Cape Town and Robben Island, a monument for those who suffered in the dark days of apartheid and who struggled, led by, among others, Nelson Mandela, to be free after nearly 50 years of repression that the world will never forget. Mandela later became president of the country he has served so well. Robben Island, where Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years, was actually the most touching point of our trip. Our guide, Bukiwe Sofuthi, hereself once a political prisoner there, told us her harrowing story and those of the many who were imprisoned and tortures for speaking their mind and devoting their heart and soul to the struggle for justice and peace. Her eyes filled with tears when she said she had forgiven, but would never forget. On our tour of the island, we saw the solitary house of Robert Sobukwe, who was detained separately from Mandela and the rest of the political prisoners. Sobukwe, acknowledged as one of the sources inspiration of the Black Consciousness Movement, had broken away from the African National Congress and formed the more militant Pan Africanist Congress. Today, Robben Island is a beacon for the worldwide fight for freedom and democracy-an enduring symbol of the strength of the human spirit. We ended our journey with the conviction that all creatures have the right to freedom-all human beings regardless of race, as much as the birds that fly the skies and the dolphins who swim the seas. And that as human beings and citizens-not owners!-of the earth, we must learn from the past so we will not be condemned to repeat it.
We only have one world. Let us protect it. A Tibetan poem says it well: "The center of heaven, the core of the earth/The heart of the world/Fenced round with snow/The heartland of all rivers, where the mountains are high and the land is pure." The author is president of the Ecological Society of the Philippines and regional councillor of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).
Durban
Accord identifies key targets to protect environment A concrete product of the recently concluded fifth World Parks Congress held in South Africa is what is the Durban Accord, a non-legally binding document which delineated a new paradigm for protected areas around the world. It accentuates the role of the participants in achieving conservation goals and enjoining local communities to do their share in protecting these areas. Part of the Durban Accord is an action plan which identifies seven key targets that are envisioned to be achieved in the next decade. While its lists down a variety of suggested actions to be done by inter-governments, the action plan also tool note of what had been accomplished thus far in the global effort to protect the environment. These are:
While the congress itself does not have a formal mandate to require or demand action, it can influence, provide advice and call for action among participating countries and organizations.
Mining: Woe unto us Mining operations in the Philippines contribute tremendous amounts to the country's GNP (gross national product). But at what staggering cost? Patrimony for the future should not be sacrificed for economic gains as sustainable mining can be pursued with strict implementation of mining laws. The case of Marcopper filling up and poisoning Boac River in Marinduque with mine tailings is too recent to forget. Not only the environment - the flora and fauna and water - is adversely affected. To this day, a number of workers and residents suffer from grave and mysterious diseases. Placer Dome is another mining firm destroying the environment. Some miners' cunning for greed is without equal. In effect, the rich megabiodiversity of nature is destroyed permanently. Indigenous peoples whose lives depend mostly on nature's bountiful gifts are bound to suffer with their livelihood, health and quality of life in jeopardy. Mining not only causes living organisms to wilt to extinction. It also alters the topography of the sites of their operations causing massive erosion. I can not understand why government continuous to grant licenses to mining companies which destroy the environment's bio-diversity and in the process degrade the lives of communities. Agencies whose mandate it is to protect the country'w ecology for future generations after next grant permits for mining operations. Environmental Management Bureau for environmental impact assessment and Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau (MGB) for extraction of minerals. Proponents are sworn into abiding by the rules. But, some rules are bound to be broken. And some mining firm are a pain in the neck. As in the case of TVJ mining, and other mining firms. The Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) recently sent a complaint letter to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo about the mining atrocities of TVJ and other firms' operations. The ESP people were informed by Malacanang Palace and MGB that a 30-day due process notice was accorded to the miners in question. The 30-day notice has passed but the situation has even gotten worse. In a recent dialogue with the mining companies (ESP's complaints in their letter to MGB were left unattended - not even answered - and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) was left inutile, unable to do anything. One can't help but wonder "why they are violating the law with impunity, resulting in the destruction of the environment and the bio-diversity thriving in it. The unkindest cut of all is the some lives are even being lost. And the government is doing nothing to stop them. Abuse of the mining permits must stop now, before the Philippines become another Indonesia where mining companies control almost 40 percent of the land and wanting more. There is still hope for the environment and the beneficiaries of the future if the government would take stricter action now and private business will cooperate.
How to despoil our rich heritage The Philippines is blessed with so much Natural and Mineral richness: bountiful flora and fauna; the forest and marine resources are one of the most diversified in the world. Such is the Philippines, an island archipelago of over 7,000 islands with coastline larger than the United States. We are noted as one of the 10 richest in megabiodiversity in the world and we have tons of great environmental laws. We have over 200 national parks and protected areas. We are self sufficient in food and other natural resources. But why do we still experience extreme poverty, especially among families in far flung communities? The Philippines is still poor and wallowing in debt." Such is the lament of Antonio M. Claparols, President of the Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) and Regional Councilor of International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Indecision is one of the unfortunate traits of the country. When the government wanted to file damage against Canadian firm for the rehabilitation of the Boac river in Marinduque. That firm left the country in a mess of mine tailings. Still foreign investors to come and go to despoil the country's wealth. The same story goes in the Cordilleras, the Sierra Madre and many other tribal and uncestral lands. Once pristine and rich with forest and culture. Now they are threatened with extinction. "Wee need to follow the law and protect the environment. And how fo the Department of Environment and Natural Resources take up their mandate?" Illegal logging, pollution and destruction of our terrestrial and marine environment further destroys the environment. The Department of Agriculture's mandate to protect our farmers and not treat the seas as an agriculture estate by introducing alien and invasive species that will destroy our endemic species. It is an ecosystem of its own, capable of feeding the world, Claparols added. One of the acknowledged leaders that have taken a stand and declared their provinces mining and GMO-free is Ifugao's Teddy Baquilat Jr. who has vowed to protect their culture aside from the UNESCO World Heritage Site - the Ifugao Rice Terraces. Bohol and Iloilo, have declared their province GMO-free and want organic sustainable agriculture. We need more of these leaders who want to protect their provinces and country. We are rich country, we must protect our natural, mineral and cultural heritage, for our children's children, Claparols added. "We appeal to our government to protect our ecology, only with a healthy ecology can we attain food security, environmental security and economic security. It is our constitutional right to demand for its preservation and time is not on our side. It is closing statement."
A summer
that will never be forgotten -
I had thought that this summer would be special. We started it out by taking the children to the farm in Talisay, Negros Occidental. This is a tradition to us it was how we were brought up. Easter in Negros and other provinces is like replaying the life of Jesus Christ. We walked behind the Santo Entiero, which the family has done so since 1930s. Part of Good Christian breeding and to continue the tradition by teaching our children. As always the Knights of Columbus escorted the Santo Entiero on Good Friday. During our stay, we went to the mountain reforestation agro-forestry farm near Cabatangan, Talisay in Mt. Mandalagan one of the three mountains ranges that divide Negros Occidental from Negros Oriental. The trees that we planted over 20 years ago are reaching for the sky, The river that once dried up is roaring with water and the Ecological Balance was there. Then we went to the estuary of the Matabang River were the Mangrove forest that we protect and continue planting looked so prestine. The children fishing with hook line and sinker had a good catch. There was food security and the ecology was balanced. The birds were all over soaring high and low, Rich in biodiversity. Then after Easter I caught the last flight to join the No to GMO group in the hunger strike against the governments decision to commercialize BT corn. We began with 9 hunger strikers on Earth Day Aprill 22,2003. A good way to save Biodiversity and the food chain and help alleviate the poor and help us attain food security and environmental security. It was the first earth day that we celebrated with a hunger stiker to press for a moratorium to plant BT corn. We presented more evidence daily and our ranks grew to a point that the Secretary of the Development of Agriculture received us to listen to our plea. We would rather die of hunger than eat BT corn. Frankly, we thought that we would die of air pollution first rather than die of hunger, the air is polluted-So we set up camp with what we needed Water, Shelter and kept on our fast. As local and international groups showed their support our numbers grew but the health of the hunger strikers became worse and each day that passed would spread the poison that (GMO) Genetically Modified Organism BT corn into the soil, the ecosystems our food chain and the environment. One such group the Institute of Science in Society headed by Dr. Mae-wan Ho who wrote the President and presented new facts and findings that proves that GMOs GM crops are unsafe fir human health as well as animals. BT corn would kill non-targeted species such as monarch butterfly and many birds, insects and mammals. What more man. As the protest continued Australia, European Union and Switzerland announce a moratorium on the commercialization and planting of any GMO and GE crops. Everyday that goes by new evidence is presented. Today the farmers from all over, the environmental NGO's and Peoples Organization and Consumers, Doctors, students, the academe and Congress has joined hand to put an end to this issue. We are sovereign people and we want an organic sustainable agriculture. It is | ||||
