St. Cecilia’s College – Cebu, Inc.

LASSO Supervised School

Poblacion Ward II, Minglanilla 6046, Cebu, Philippines
Tel. No. (032) 326 3677 / (032) 497 0767 / (032) 268 4746
Facebook: St. Cecilia’s College – Cebu, Inc.
Website: www.stcecilia.edu.ph
E-Mail: sccreq@gmail.com

Names: Abrinica, Jellah V.

Pitallar, Camille P.
Trinidad, Nina Alexis

Program: BSBA-1B

Critique Paper
Impacts of Super Typhoons and Climate Change
Climate Adaptation Platform

Mr. Leonilo Guarin

Instructor
Introduction

The impacts of Super Typhoons in our country, how Climate Change is involved in it, and
how to lessen the impacts of Super typhoons are the main ideas that are revolving in the article.
This article introduces how massive the damage was when Super Typhoons landed in areas of
the Philippines. It tackles the effects of this kind of natural disaster in terms of casualties and the
Philippine economy. Additionally, this article is also about how Climate Change works to
contribute to stronger typhoons. This article provides us with information about how the
warming of the ocean fuels typhoons to become stronger. In this article, the author wants to
convey that everyone, especially the Filipino people, should understand how a Super Typhoon
become a factor in many losses in the country in terms of casualties and economy knowing that
we are still a developing country. Furthermore, the organization wants us to learn the
interventions on how to lessen the impacts of super typhoons. The first point in the article is the
part that introduces the Philippines being one of the most impacted countries by typhoons such
as the Odette. As it means that we are in this high level of vulnerability where the number of
casualties is higher and the destructions have a bigger impact on our economy. And this is very
important to keep in mind as this kind of typhoon was deadly and expensive. The second point is
about linking super typhoons to climate change. This part depicts how Climate Change works for
a super typhoon. This part is a must-have knowledge for us so that we will acquire an
understanding of how the change of climate became a factor in stronger typhoons. This provides
us the knowledge that the effects of Climate Change have something to deal with the Super
Typhoons of today. And the last point is about reducing the impacts of super typhoons. We all
know that it is hard to prevent the risks of super typhoons. And as citizens of a vulnerable
country, we must engage in investment in disaster risk reduction, flood management, and early
warning system. This is to reduce the number of casualties and decrease economic losses.

Summary

Typhoons are some of the most severe meteorological phenomena and result in significant
expenses and losses worldwide. The Philippines, as an archipelagic nation, is vulnerable to such
events, such as Typhoon Odette which has left several damages and made a lot of people suffer
for months. Studies have linked Super Typhoons to Climate Change. It is because of its warmth
that fuels storms and melted glaciers that initiates storm surges. While time has changed, there is
an urgent need to adapt, especially in poor nations and areas more susceptible to extreme events,
as storms and cyclones are becoming more intense and frequent as a result of climate change. By
that, decreased economic loss and casualties can be achieved by measures like early warning
systems, flood control that is either ecosystem-based or engineered, and investments in disaster
risk reduction. This article is relevant and useful for everyone. This gives informative reports and
explanations about the impacts of Super Typhoons in our country and how Climate Change
became its driving factor. It is very essential to everybody in the country because it also provides
ways how to lessen the impacts of Super Typhoons in our country. And makes us aware of
everything that is happening. And I agree with the article as it relates Super Typhoons to Climate
Change. Because it's also evident that Climate Change affects typhoons such as the warming of
the sea surface that energizes storms and the melting of glaciers that add to the sea level that
causes storm surges.

Conclusion

The article generally talks about the effects of Super Typhoons on our country in terms of
casualties and the Philippine economy, and how Climate Change works to contribute to stronger
typhoons. Based on studies, typhoons are some of the most severe meteorological phenomena
and result in significant expenses and losses worldwide. The Philippines, as an archipelagic
nation, is vulnerable to such events, such as Typhoon Odette which has left several damages and
made a lot of people suffer for months. The author of the article, which is the entire organization,
wants to convey that everyone, especially the Filipino people, should understand how a Super
Typhoon be a factor in many losses in the country. And studies have linked Super Typhoons to
Climate Change. It is because of its warmth that fuels storms and melted glaciers initiate storm
surges in the way. There are a lot of effects that affect how a Super Typhoon is formed. And as it
is hard to stop typhoons from entering our country, let's just help lessen their impacts. As a
typhoon-prone country, we should strengthen the Republic Act 10121, also known as the
Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (PDRRM) Act, which provides for the
mitigation of the effects of natural disasters. This Act calls for the development of policies and
plans, as well as the implementation of actions and measures related to all aspects of disaster risk
reduction and management, such as good governance, risk assessment and early warning,
knowledge building, and awareness raising, reducing underlying risk factors, and being prepared
for effective response and early recovery. This one should be implemented to reduce the
socioeconomic and environmental impacts of disasters.
References

BBC News. (2021). Philippines Super Typhoon Rai death toll surges.

Disaster Compilation. (2021). Typhoon Odette (Rai) Hits Siargao, Dinagat, Southern
Leyte, Bohol, & Cebu Bagyong Odette.

Holden, W. N. & Marshall, S. J. (2018). Chapter 24 – Climate Change and Typhoons in

the Philippines: Extreme Weather Events in the Anthropocene. Integrating Disaster
Science and Management, Elsevier. Pages 407-421, ISBN 9780128120569.

Mei, W., Xie, SP. (2016) Intensification of landfalling typhoons over the northwest
Pacific since the late 1970s. Nature GeoSci. 9, 753-757.

Relief Web. (2022). The Philippines – Super Typhoon Rai Fact Sheet #1 Fiscal Year
(FY) 2022.

World Meteorological Organization. (2021). Weather-related disasters increase over

past 50 years, causing more damage but fewer deaths.
 Impacts of Super Typhoons and Climate
Change
Home / Climate Adaptation / Impacts of Super Typhoons and Climate Change
Climate Adaptation Disaster Management and Response Research Papers
January 12, 2022 Climate Adaptation Platform

Tropical cyclones,
also known as typhoons
or hurricanes,
are among the most violent weather events, causing high costs and losses in any area.
The Philippines is one of the most typhoon-impacted countries globally, with about 20
tropical cyclones traversing the country’s area of responsibility each year.

On 16 December 2021, super typhoon Rai, locally known as Odette, made its landfall
in the Philippines, bringing torrential rains, violent winds, floods, and storm surges to
the Visayas and Mindanao Islands (Philippines Super Typhoon, 2021).

Super Typhoon Odette left thousands of families homeless, reversing some significant
economic and social progress that the Philippine government has made from its
Covid-19 recovery. It has caused widespread damage to houses, public infrastructure,
and power and telecommunications services in over seven provinces across the
Philippines.

Reliefweb provides data on the damages that super typhoon Odette brought to the
country. As of 6 January 2022, there are 407 typhoon-related deaths, 7.3 million
people affected, and 2.4 million in need of humanitarian assistance.

Studies linking super typhoons and extremes events to climate change

Integrated Disaster Science and Management: Global Case Studies in Mitigation and
Recovery published in 2018 state a strong scientific consensus that anthropogenic
climate change is contributing to stronger typhoons. This is due to higher sea surface
temperatures and higher subsurface sea temperatures which removes the natural buffer
on typhoon strength that colder water from below the ocean’s surface causes. Sea-
level rise resulting from climate change will also worsen the effects of these strong
typhoons. The Philippines is becoming more vulnerable to stronger cyclones with its
rapidly growing population.

The World Meteorological Organization states that weather-related disasters increased by a

factor of five in the last 50 years, driven by climate change. But thanks to improved
early warnings and disaster management, the number of deaths has decreased by
almost three-fold.

Chapter six of the IPPC report shows a list of extreme events linked to ocean and
cryosphere changes due to climate change. These extreme events happened between
1998 to 2017 across all regions in the world. Included in the list is Super Typhoon
Haiyan, a category five storm that hit the Philippines in 2013, the deadliest and most
expensive natural disaster in the Philippines so far. The report attributed this event to
the ocean heat content, and sea levels that have increased since 1998 due to the
negative Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) phase, but thermodynamic effects on
extreme sea surface temperatures (SSTs), sea-level rise and storm surges due to
climate change worsened its impacts.
The 2016 study, “Intensification of landfalling typhoons over the northwest Pacific since the late
1970s“, found that landfalling typhoons in the East and Southeast Asian countries have
intensified by 12-15%, with the proportion of storms of categories 4 and 5 doubled or
tripled in number.

With climate change intensifying storms and cyclones and increasing their frequency,

there is a pressing need to adapt, especially in developing countries and areas more
vulnerable to extreme events.

The video below is a compilation of videos taken in various areas in the Philippines
that Super Typhoon Odette affected. The threats and dangers that super typhoons pose
highlight the importance of preparing and building resilience against extreme events.

A report from the World Meteorological Organization shows the global distribution of

disasters and impacts by hazards (floods from riverine and general floods cause 44%,
and 17% is associated with tropical cyclones). The report also shows the regional
breakdown of natural hazards and associated deaths and economic losses.

Studies show that intense cyclones, storms, and typhoons are increasing due to the
warming climate and will continue for the foreseeable future. Averting the escalation
of the most severe natural events can be done through rapid decarbonization of our
economy and society and the deployment of local adaptation strategies.

The IPCC report states that for tropical cyclones and extratropical cyclones or those
forming in the mid-latitude (usually between 30 to 60 degrees latitude from the
equator) or known simply as “depressions” or “lows”, investment in disaster risk
reduction, flood management both ecosystem-based or engineered ones, and early
warning systems decrease economic loss. Still, limited local capacities may hinder
these investments in less developed countries despite adaptation efforts. Managing
these changing storm trajectories and intensities can also be challenging due to the
difficulties of early warning and the receptivity of the affected populations (Collins et
al., 2019).

References

BBC News. (2021). Philippines Super Typhoon Rai death toll surges.

Disaster Compilation. (2021). Typhoon Odette (Rai) Hits Siargao, Dinagat,

Southern Leyte, Bohol, & Cebu Bagyong Odette.

Holden, W. N. & Marshall, S. J. (2018). Chapter 24 – Climate Change and

Typhoons in the Philippines: Extreme Weather Events in the Anthropocene.
Integrating Disaster Science and Management, Elsevier. Pages 407-421, ISBN
9780128120569.

Mei, W. & Xie, SP. (2016). Intensification of landfalling typhoons over the
northwest Pacific since the late 1970s. Nature GeoSci. 9, 753-757.

Relief Web. (2022). The Philippines – Super Typhoon Rai Fact Sheet #1 Fiscal
Year (FY) 2022.

World Meteorological Organization. (2021). Weather-related disasters

increase over past 50 years, causing more damage but fewer deaths.