Let’s now make a deeper look at how climate change affects the Philippines and the role of geography

and
development , play in making a tremendous challenge even greater.

GEOGRAPHY

To some extent, this is a normal pattern: the ocean surface warms as it absorbs sunlight. The ocean then releases
some of its heat into the atmosphere, creating wind and rain clouds. However, as the ocean’s surface temperature
increases over time from the effects of climate change, more and more heat is released into the atmosphere. This
additional heat in the ocean and air can lead to stronger and more frequent storms – which is exactly what we’ve
seen in the Philippines over the last decade.

The Philippines is extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change for two main reasons: geography
and development. As my colleague Brad Plumer points out in an excellent piece on what the Philippines'
experience with Typhoon Haiyan tells us about global efforts to adapt to climate change, a recent United
Nations report identified the country as the third-most at-risk from climate change in the world, ranked
behind the South Pacific island nations of Vanuatu and Tonga.
But the Philippines isn't just susceptible to climate change because it's an island nation located in a part of
the world that gets a lot of big tropical storms. This map, from a report by the Philippine Department of
Environment and Natural Resources, shows how other specific geographical factors contribute to its
particular vulnerability. Regional wind patterns, for example, can worsen the risk posed by extreme
rainfall events.

The map divides the country's offshore areas into 11 zones and identifies specific risks for each of them
from the effects of climate change. These are the five different risk factors it identifies: a rise in sea levels,
extreme rainfall events, extreme heating events, increased ocean temperatures and a disturbed water
budget. Given the Philippines' vast shorelines and built-in geographic susceptibility, any one of these
could be disastrous.
Tropical storms, which hit the country on average eight to nine times a year and are expected to increase
in severity because of climate change, exacerbate the risk. Some of the worst damage from these storms
comes from surging sea levels. As levels rise -- about eight inches by 2050, some studies project, and an
additional three feet by 2100 -- storms will be much more dangerous.
But it's not just geography -- some developmental factors make the Philippines susceptible as
well. "Owing to their proximity to the sea, island states are particularly exposed to the natural hazards of
cyclones, flooding and sea level rise," the U.N. report explains. "Very high exposure is a significant risk
driver, although a high development level can counteract this substantially, as the example of the
Netherlands shows."
The kind of infrastructure necessary to reduce the damage of regular natural disasters is really expensive -
- see, for example, Japan's tremendous spending on earthquake-resistant office buildings. But it's not just
about national wealth.

Mining Industry in the Philippines has been a controversial issue once again, as the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) secretary Gina Lopez advocates
the total ban of mining for responsible and sustainable mining in the country.
Mining in the Philippines has been known early as year 1521. The Philippines is actually the
fifth most mineral-rich country in the world for copper, nickel, gold and chromite. This has
been a home to the largest copper-gold deposit in the world. According to Mines and Geo-
sciences Bureau the country has $840 billion worth untapped mineral wealth.
All regions, except NCR and ARMM allow mining operations. About 30 hectares of land areas
in the country is deemed as possible areas for metallic minerals. The labor of department
statistics shows that the mining in the country has created 211,000 jobs in 2011 alone.
The total ban of mining rests on the fact that mining activities has a destructive effect on
natural resource, like the destruction of the natural habitat of different animal species. The
dumping of chemicals in the mining could also pollute the other areas near the mining sites.
On the other hand, individuals also have the duty to use natural resources responsibly. The
advocates for responsible and sustainable mining challenge folks to balance man’s self-
interest and nature’s stability.
However, those people who are in large mining corporations have firmly practiced their
goals of achieving their self-interests forgetting the fact that these are the reasons why
there is an imbalance in the biotic community.
Thus, the government should really take a stand on implementing its legal measures on
mining to prevent destruction on mineral resources.
Below are the list of effects of mining industry in the Philippines.
AIR

 Mining has an effect on the quality of the air. Coal mines releases methane that
contributes to environmental issues since it contains greenhouse gas.
 Some cooling plants may release these ozone-depleting substances yet the
amount released is just very small.
 Heavy metals like sulfur dioxide is polluted into the air by unsafe smelter
operations with insufficient safeguards.
 Gold mining industry is actually one of the most destructive industries in the
world because of the toxins released into the air.
 Another side effect of mining are acid rain and smog.
 A total of 142 million tons of sulfur dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere, every
year because of smelting and that is 13% of total global emissions.
WATER

 When sulfide is oxidized through contact with air via mining, it forms sulfuric acid
and when this is combined with trace elements, it has a negative impact on
groundwater. This happens both surface and underground mines.
 Chemical deposits that are left over from explosives are usually toxic and it
increase the salinity of mine water as well as contaminating it. Through the “in
situ” mining groundwater can be directly contaminated, in which a solvent seeps
into un-mined rock, leaching minerals.
 Toxins like cyanide and mercury are used in the extraction of minerals that can
permanently pollute the water, making it difficult to the fishermen to find fish.
 Spills into the lakes and ocean also add toxic to heavy metals and sulfuric acid to
the environment, where it can take years.
LAND


Land impacts are immense in mining which involves moving large quantities of
rock and in surface mining. Almost all of the mined ore of non-ferrous metals
become waste.
 Mining activities might as well lead to erosion which is very dangerous for the
land.
 This also leads to destruction of river banks and changes how the river flows,
where it flows, what lives in it, etc.
 Toxins such as cyanide and by products like mercury which is used in the
extraction of minerals can permanently pollute the land and people will no longer
be able to farm in certain places.
 Open-pit mining also leaves behind large craters that can be seen from outer-
space.
 Due to people digging in search of precious minerals, a lot of areas are pock
marked by thousands of small holes.
ECOSYSTEM
  Deep sea mines are at risk in eliminating rare and potentially valuable organisms.
 Mining also destroys animal habitats and ecosystem.
 Those activity that surrounds the mine which includes explosions, transportation
of goods, road construction, the movement of people, the sound made, etc are
actually harmful to the ecosystem and will change the way animals have to live
since they will have a new way to cope with the mine and live around it.
 In general, spills of deadly substances have a very negative effect on animals and
ecosystem.
 Discharged toxins and tailing from the mines can disrupt and disturb the way
animals live.
 By adding or taking out something from the animals’ everyday lives, mining can
completely destroy the ecosystem.
LOCAL COMMUNITIES

 Loss of agricultural and livelihood.

 Due to huge environmental, social and cultural costs, this puts extreme stress on
health, food security, displacement, and respiratory diseases.
 Mining companies who promised to provide scholarships and livelihood to the
affected people are mere palliatives in comparison to the massive environmental
destruction and are long-term negative heath impacts of unsustainable mining
practices.
Mining is still considered as a hazardous industry, though it has its advantages yet the
disadvantages far outweigh the advantages of its existence.
DENR Secretary Gina Lopez believes that the quality of life of the people is more important
rather than the money they make. Although, her order would result to massive job loss and
it could affect her confirmation at the Commission on Appointment (CA), she will still keep
her stand and do her duty despite of all the criticisms she received.
On the other hand, President Rodrigo Duterte also said that he chose to appoint Lopez
because she shares his stand on responsible mining and environmental conservation.
Duterte also stated that, the Filipino people own the mineral resources , however the
current law does not provide for payment for these resources.
Moreover, mining contributes little to the economy, it is not a huge employment generator.
The total contribution of mining is only 234,000 in year 2015 or 0.6% of total employment
in the country.
Thus, the challenge on the current administration is to champion and institutionalize the
genuine reforms in the mining sector.