Kristine Jamille R.

Pileo

ASSIGNMENT ON CLIMATE CHANGE & NATURAL CALAMITIES - II

Do research on the following questions and write a summary including references.

1. What are the current trends/observations on the effects of climate change in the
agricultural sector of the Philippines?

Climate change threatens agricultural productivity, resulting in higher food prices and reduced
food production. This climate crisis is very likely to affect food security by disrupting food
availability, reducing access to food, and affecting food quality. In the Philippines, our economy
is heavily based on agriculture and climate change is affecting it negatively. According to Chief
Legal Counsel of the Climate Change Commission Efren Basco, agriculture is the most impacted
industry in terms of climate change impacts. He said that any typhoon that has made landfall in
the country had significant damage to agriculture. With that said, the damage to rice and other
agricultural crops has reached incredible levels as typhoons became stronger each year.
Moreover, the 2015-2016 El Niño was the one to blame for a decrease in Philippine agricultural
production by 4.5 percent damaging crops in various regions. In 2013, Typhoon Yolanda
destroyed nearly 600,000 hectares of agricultural lands, with an estimated 1.1 million metric tons
of crops lost and more than 33 million coconut trees flattened, resulting in increased dependence
on rice imports. During this time, fishing industries were also greatly affected. Due to the
economic impact of these events, the Philippines certainly had a difficult time sustaining its
economy. According to a study conducted by Jennifer Dait which was issued by the International
Journal of Science and Research, Philippine agriculture’s gross production value decreases by
19.21 when the temperature rises by 1ºC. The same applies to precipitation – the gross
production value in agriculture would decrease by .24 for every 1 mm increase in precipitation
but more number of rain days would increase gross production value by 1.24. As a tropical
country, the Philippines’ agricultural sector is rain-fed and that a drier season will reduce
agricultural production.

2. What are the current trends/observations on the effects of climate change towards
typhoons entering the Philippines?

The Philippines is one of the countries deemed to be most vulnerable to extreme weather.  On
average, approximately 20 tropical cyclones enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR)
every year. Scientists say, that these typhoons have hit the nation more often and more seriously
because of climate change. According to the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change, both El Niño and La Niña weather events are expected to increase in frequency
because of global warming, resulting in more stronger and intense typhoons hitting the
Philippines. Long before, we have been experiencing El Niño events every 10 years, but it is
quite different now. According to Analiza Solis of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and
Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), El Niño occurrences have become more
frequent now, occurring every 5 years. This means that we have been experiencing these events
more frequently than before, causing typhoons more frequently than usual. Moreover, these
stronger typhoons bring more moisture, track differently, move faster, and is intensified by sea
level rise, one of climate change’s most certain implications. Truly, tropical cyclones are
projected to become more intense as the climate warms because they respond faster to warming
sea surface temperatures. The oceans provide more energy to convert into tropical cyclones, as
the water surface warms. Climate change is amplifying the intensity of these typhoons making it
more destructive and with the potential to affect many more people negatively. Indeed, these
typhoons entering the Philippines are likely to become more frequent and stronger if climate
change is not curbed.

References:

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1839522

https://www.ijsr.net/archive/v4i9/SUB158497.pdf

https://news.mongabay.com/2019/10/for-the-philippines-a-warming-world-means-stronger-
typhoons-fewer-fish/

https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/wfp277192.pdf

https://www.climaterealityproject.org/blog/how-climate-change-affecting-philippines