When discussing climate change, it’s almost impossible to evade the concept of global warming. To this day. global warming continues to be a contentious topic so it’s best to be skeptical about it. While it may be true, saying that it is the only thing driving the changes in the climate can be counter intuitive in mitigating the effects of stronger hurricanes and sea level rise.
While cutting emissions could be a good idea as a long-term plan to quell the effects of global warming, it doesn’t address the problems that people are already facing now. There has to be more proactive solutions to the effects of climate change and not just the cutting of emissions. If anthropologic global warming isn’t really the cause of the changes when all is said and done, we would just be left dead in the water.
The solutions to climate change need to be more revolutionary – both in terms of intellectual approach as well as in the financial conventions that cities and countries are used to. Unless man does something to fortify settlements, floods would always happen and the human cost would always be great.
Here are some solutions that would be more apt in my opinion:
1. Conduct topographical studies that would map out areas with an immense risk of flooding – both permanently and temporarily – by using models for sea level rise and super typhoons. Advice the people of these areas regarding the risks and if possible, give suggestions on either how to fortift buildings in the area or suggest a possible re-settlement site.
2. Hire experts that would look at the ways to construct dams and dikes that could serve as protection should the seas encroach unto our shores. This would be very costly, but if the city of Manila is to survive sea level rise, big moves would have to be made.
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I agree with your solutions, but the problem is it will take a huge political will to have it approved and get implemented.
[...] Blog Action Day: October 15, 2009 – Climate Change by Benj of Atheista.net [...]
Yes, it’s not only the mitigation activities that should be done. It is especially important for vulnerable nations like the Philippines to adopt people-centered adaptation policies, which includes disaster risk management. And the global north should support these measures in the global south through ODA and genuine technology transfer.
[...] calls for “more revolutionary” solutions, and suggests that the Philippines: 1. Conduct [...]
no objection benj. just a question of who will take the initiative, is it the national institutions like dpwh known for corruption snd neda with its inefficiencies or the local government units who usually lacks funding for projects as big as these.
all pointless without a Population Control program.
one does not have to believe in climate change, but think of it as the more people there are, the more shit is produced.
maybe the CBCP can formulate a prayer to make the ill effects of increased human activity transubstantiate into clean air.
Stand Up to Climate Change: RUN AGAINST THE ELEMENTS (Ateneo COSA Fun Run 2010)
Dear Blogger,
Ateneo’s Collegiate Society of Advertising (COSA) will be having its first-ever Fun Run on January 24, 2010 (Sunday) at the Ateneo campus grounds called, “RUN AGAINST THE ELEMENTS: Ateneo COSA Fun Run 2010″ with our slogan: Stand Up to Climate Change. We have partnered with social entrepreneur, Illac Diaz, who started “Design Against the Elements.” This is an international design competition that responds to the call for social and climate adaptation by building sustainable homes. This was launched to international architects last June 16, 2009 at the Institute of International Education (IIE) at the United Nations Plaza in New York with the support of the IIE, the Philippine Consulate, Gov. Lray Villafuerte, Gawad Kalinga, United Architects of the Philippines and My Shelter Foundation.
We are going beyond the spirit of volunteerism. By choosing Design Against the Elements as the cause for our fun run, we will also be promoting its anthem, “Stand Up”, a collaboration of 50 of the Philippines’ finest artists like Kjwan, Cookie Chua, Karl Roy, Jett Pangan, Noel Cabangon, Barbie Almalbis, Migs Escueta, etc. We are asking for your help in the simultaneous online release of the video we (Ateneo COSA) are creating for the song. This unreleased single will be launched online via a video which will be sent to you on TUESDAY for posting on your blogs. TUESDAY (OCT 27) is the targeted date, so if you would like to help us promote this global campaign and fun run event, please do post this video on your blogs. Below is a forwarded message from Illac Diaz if you would like to know more details about the campaign.
We hope you help us in promoting ACTION against and not just mere AWARENESS regarding climate change. Climate change is here and now—we want to be able to properly handle another calamity like Ondoy next time. Don’t we?
We look forward to hearing from you.
Ally Lim
Project Head
RUN AGAINST THE ELEMENTS (Ateneo COSA Fun Run 2010)
0927-5075426
allymlim@yahoo.co.uk
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Illac Diaz
Date: Sun, Oct 25, 2009 at 2:13 AM
Subject: Philippine Bloggers Appeal Letter (Tuesday Video Launch)
Dear Blogger
These last month has been an incredible trial for the Philippines and its people. As the floodwater begins to receed, a new challenge will need to be met, which is rebuilding many areas that have been affected by the storm. This crisis may have an opportunity by allowing us to work with you and help you rebuild better. Specially since, the incident is not a singular occurence, but is going to be a pattern of challenges for the coming decades due to the changes in climate and a longer view must be implimanted.
We would like to ask you to help us with a mega-band campaign song to raise awareness on the need to move awareness to climate adaptability in the Philippines over mere carbon reduction as the country is not a significant emitter, but one of the world’s communities most vulnerable; and least able to adapt.
We have united almost 50 of the top icons of music to sing the campaign song to arouse attention not only of the Philippines, but a global audience that we must move to greater awareness and policies for raising awareness to climate adaptability in the Philippines over mere carbon reduction as the country is not a significant emitter, but that we are also one of the world’s communities most vulnerable; and least able to adapt.
Like the Blog Action Day we shall be releasing a video simultaneously over the web that we are editing now. Here is a rough sample http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ol2×22rFtBg
We ask you if you could help us with the simltaneous release.
…..
The projected impact of climate change in Philippines is extreme typhoons (top four in the world according to the Global Climate Index). This is due mainly to the high vulnerability of rural areas and very little capacity for adaptation (poverty and lack of awareness of the rising dangers) of the people at risk. These upcoming humanitarian disasters, and climate refugee mass migration, and will lead to a high state of conflict and insecurity for the poor below the poverty line.
This project, Design Against the Elements will focus on the climate displaced communities in Metro Manila, Philippines. Combined with research recently completed by the Manila Observatory on the future challenges of climate in the Naga region ( which is a sample of similar challenges in other areas of the Philippines), it contribute to design and build a redesigned low income community which will be the new blueprint of how people in the vulnerable coastal areas can successfully cope with impacts of climate variability. The knowledge generated from this study will facilitate the development of policies that address these humanitarian challenges.
The main objective of this competition is to contribute to rural adaptability to climate change impacts, in the form of architectural resiliency to strong typhoon winds and heavy rains. Capacity building in the present social networks such as community, non-government, and government organizations involved with these areas will allow a shift into post disaster mitigation to preparing ahead of the storm. The main hypothesis of this project is having a safer structures “ahead of time” will lead to less injury, number of climate refugees, and loss of life and property.
The main partner and benificiary will be Gawad Kalinga who will recieve the winning designs of which the winner of the competition will have 100 houses built with the new design.
This competition will begin in November 2009. We are setting the land and the global partners.
The competition brief ( which is how the architects design the village based on the key points of climate change challenges, data on the site and province, ect) is still being done by the United Architects of the Philippines.Last 2008, it was for building safer schools for shelter (http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2008/05.08/31-designs.html)
It will be from the top marketing using the United Architects of the Philippines writing to all architect associations in the world linked to them BUT the exciting one is the grassroots marketing of the global Gawad Kalinga members asking architects they can reach (inspire) to be involved. We expect 4000 entries.
The song is composed by Joey Ayala and Boogie Romero and is about to be finished by 50 of the top Filipino bands and personalities who are now finishing the “Stand Up” theme song for the campaign.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Illac Angelo Diaz
Executive Director
Global Designer Village Challenge
0918-9403513