THE CRUDE AWAKENING-OIL OR
WATER
(Peoples Tonite) June 23, 2010
by: Antonio M.
Claparols
President Ecological
Society of the Philippines
 As I write this the BP oil spill in the gulf of Mexico
has awakened the world to the destruction of oil spills.
To this day it continues to wreck havoc to the gulf of
Mexico. It seems that BP cannot seem to plug it and stop
its destruction of the rich marine environment.
The spill is nearing land
and will continue to spread to other parts of the ocean.
As the typhoon season nears the oil spill will spread
further in land and the seas. There is no way to restore
the damage done. The entire gulf will become a dead
zone. Where no fish and living organism can survive. The
fishing industry and the livelihood of the many people
who rely on the bounty of the seas will be lost forever.
Time and time again we have advocated the change to
clean renewable energy sources. Climate Change has given
us a taste of what is to come if we continue to use oil,
coal and other fossil fuels.
The temperature of the planet has gone up. Making the
month of April the hottest month in recorded history.
The same thing is happening in the Niger Delta for years
and it continues to be ignored by the US and Europe. The
BP oil spill has awakened the world since it is in the
back yard of the US. The continued pronouncements of
President Obama to the oil industry and their being
called into a Congressional hearing is testament of
their
seriousness and concern. Yet this will not mitigate the
damage done by the oil spill.
There are over 4,000 more oil rigs and all of them are
vulnerable to accidents. To get into a project as
dangerous as oil without knowing how to stop and contain
it is a mystery to me and pure dereliction of monitoring
controls. What puzzles me most is that this has been
going on for over a century. Ever since oil was produced
for commercial purposes. The many typhoons, flash floods
and natural calamities brought forth by oil based
pollution has not given the world leaders the political
will to combat climate change.
Until today nothing has been agreed upon on GHG
emissions. The negotiations are still going on as the
planet continues to die. Now with the BP oil spill the
world has spoken. They want action. They want a clean
environment and a healthy ecology. We must get our of
fossil fuels and move rapidly into clean renewable
energy or we will be victims of more devastating
environmental catastrophes. We must act now and stop the
rhetoric. We are in a special time in history were we
can make a difference and save our planet.
"Ignorance is like the
night of the mind a night without moon or stars."
Do
we have enough time to save the planet?
by: Antonio M.
Claparols
 As I write this Europe is facing its coldest
winter ever a winter so strong that it had shut down several airports and
train stations. The Euro star was stranded together with all other modes of
transportation.
The Capitals of the most powerful countries were put on a stand still.
Washington D.C was not spared as the US continues to be ravaged by the
coldest winter storms.
Farmers and their agricultural produce have been destroyed. There food and
livelihoods are lost. And still the winter storms are far from over.
While the northern countries continue their climatic winter storms.
The other parts of the world are suffering from drought, famine, a water
shortage ,a food shortage and an energy shortage.
In our country the extreme heat has dried up almost all our dams.
And drought has destroyed our once rich agriculture into a dessert.
More than 1 Billion people in the world and more are below the poverty line.
More than a billion people have no access to water, food and sanitation.
The economic crisis is far from over and magnified by the climatic
ecological disasters.
The failure of Copenhagen and the failed goals of combating climate change
has taken its toll. It will go on a on, year after year only with more
viciousness as mother nature continues its cries for help. To save her from
total destruction.
All these manifestations are real and cannot be ignored. They must be
tackled with vigilance and resolve.
We cannot go on with business as usual. We need to take stock and save our
dying planet. This year is the International year for Biodiversity. We all
have pledged to restore biodiversity and enhance her.
Sad to say that our biodiversity loss has increased. From the land all the
way to the oceans.
The number of dead zones in the global commons of the oceans have gone up.
Ocean acidification is damaging our last frontier.
An yet we continue our rampage of the environment and for what?
A few dollars more.
We will be celebrating Earth day next month. And every Earth day celebration
seems to be getting worse for the earth.
We must do many things to conserve our only planet. Let us combat climate
change with resolve.
Let us bring back the CO2 in our atmosphere back to 350ppm needed to sustain
life.
We may not have enough time but we must act or suffer.
Let us greet each day a happy earth day by doing something for her. If we
don't we will loose all life in our Mother Earth.
High time to adopt DST
(Philippine Daily Inquirer) March 6, 2010
by: Antonio M.
Claparols
President Ecological
Society of the Philippines
 WITH SUMMER HERE AND THE
scouring heat upon us, and with the crises in energy and
water looming, it may be good for the government to
implement Day light Saving Time (DST).
Many other countries use
DST to save energy, so why don't we?
With the long days, we can
be more productive if we begin the workday earlier,
whether outdoors or indoors.
Even in the farms, we can
start work at the crack of dawn when the morning is
still cool.
Implementing DST means
maximizing the power of the sun.
We can save energy and
water and take comfort in the idea that we are helping
mitigate global warming's heavy toll on our precious
resources.
As conscientious citizens,
we have to educate ourselves and do our part in saving
our planet.
What was it Confucius
said? "Ignorance is like the night of the mind, a night
without moon or start".
Filipino Exhorted on global
warming
(Manila Bulletin) February 10, 2010
Even as the recent
Copenhagen climate summit had failed, Filipinos must
show the world that they are willing to work together in
the fight against global warming.
This was according to
Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) president
Antonio M. Claparols.
"The task of saving the
planet and protecting the environment, however, is so
huge that we need all the help we can get," he said.
"That is why the government and the private sector must
join hands for this cause."
The summit in Copenhagen
last December failed because of the inability of first
world countries to cooperate and commit to a meaningful
reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
"Copenhagen may have
failed to inspire global leaders to save mother earth
but it succeeded in creating international
awareness that the threat is very much real," Claparols
said.
The Filipino nation, he
added, can take the lead by example.
"For a start, we need to
have a total log ban and launch a massive reforestation
program," Claparols said. "In a very do-able scale, we
also need to promote organic farming adn strictly
enforce laws on illegal fishing."
WORLD LEADERS FAIL AT COPENHAGEN
(Sunday Star) December 27, 2009
 World leaders have failed
in its mission to forge a binding agreement that would
drastically reduce greenhouse gas emission and bring
down the carbon dioxide level to 350 ppm during the
recent Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.
Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) president
Antonio M. Claparols said the effects of global warming
to the environment, agriculture and humankind is being
manifested all over the world but some highly-developed
countries seem to ignore the signs.
"This will go down in history as a tragic mistake,"
Claparols said. "Our planet in peril. Our leaders must
have the political will to battle climate change."
The ESP chief added that the climate negotiation in
Copenhagen failed to address the common good, the
welfare of the people and the protection of the
environment.
"The superpowers impose their interest at the expense of
the majority," he said.
The Copenhagen Accord acknowledges the need to limit
global temperature rise to a minimum of two degrees
Celsius. Yet, it has no specific target and
legally-binding commitment from rich countries to reduce
their emission by 2020 or earlier.
Also African countries see the 2 degrees limit of the
accord as very dangerous explaining that the agreed
limit may be a devastation to the African people who are
calling for a 1.5 degrees Celsius limit.
"We all wanted this conference to reduce GHG to 350ppm
of CO2 and we all wanted a chance to give back to our
planet what we have taken," Claparols said. "That's why
we are disappointed at the leaders at Copenhagen and
hail as heroes those that stood against the developed
countries. We demand that our leaders and the rest of
the world to unilaterally reduce GHG voluntarily."
One solution to global warming the ESP is supporting is
to protect the remaining rainforests in the world and go
into a massive reforestation program.
"That is the only way to save us all from the looming
ecological disaster," he said.
Let us support organic
agriculture
(Insurance Manila) November-December 2009
Among the sectors most
affected by climate change is agriculture. Ironically, it is also one of the
biggest contributors to global warming. This is according to Ecological
Society of the Philippines president Antonio M. Claparols who is also
calling on the Philippine government to widely promote and support organic
farming. "Agriculture significantly contributes to global warming. According
to a recent study, aroung 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions from human
activity comes from agriculture. The major culprits are the overuse of
industrial fertilizers and land degredation," said Claparols. "That is why
we need to shift to more sustainable farming practice and start using
organic fertilizers on a wide scale." Claparols said Filipino farmers need
to be properly educated on cropland management, appropriate use of
fertilizers and restoration of organic soils as carbon sinks. "Needles to
say, farmers are among the most vulnerable to global warming because
farmlands and its crops are the first casualties of environmental calamities
not only here but also in other countries," he said. "This is a global
problem and the Philippines, being primarily an agricultural country, must
be in the forefront of the battle against global warming." As a major effect
of global warming, Claparols warned, seasons will gradually change and
extreme weather events such as heavy rains, flooding, typhoons and drought
will multiply in the years to come. "But it is not yet too late," Claparols
said. "Our country is rich in natural resources. If we can do the right
thing and take care of our environment, we will have food security."
Government
urged to support agri
(Manila Bulletin) December 17, 2009 12:00 AM
Among the
sectors most affected by climate change is agriculture.
Ironimcally, it is also one of the biggest contributors
to global warming.
This is
according to Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP)
president Antonio M. Claparols who is also calling on
the Philippine government to widely promote and support
organic farming.
Agriculture significantly contributes to global warming.
According to a recent study, around 30 percent of all
green-house gas emissions from human activity comes from
agriculture. The major culprits are the overuse of
industrial fertilizers and land degredation," said
Claparols.
That is
why we need to shift to more sustainable farming
practice and start using organic fertilizers on a wide
scale.
Claparols
said Filipino farmers need to be properly educated on
cropland management, appropriate use of fertilizers and
restoration of organic soils as carbon sinks.
Needless
to say, farmers are among the most vulnerable to global
warming because farmlands and its crops are the first
casualties of environmental calamities not only here but
also in other countries," he said. This is a global
problem and the Philippines, being primarily an
agricultural country, must be in the forefront of the
battle against global warming.
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.
ONDOY'S WRATH "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 eco-friendly packaging
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.
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
scienstists believe that fossil fuel emissions such as
methane and carbon dioxide which end up in the earth's
atmosphere, contribute heavinly to the rise of global
temperature. Compounding the problem is teh continous
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
ESP pushes organic
farming
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.
Let's Support
Organic Farming
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.
"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 need 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 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 agroecosystems, while practices 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.
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.
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
environment, 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 rapidly 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.
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 predecessor 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.
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.
We need frugal ways
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 the 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
environmentally 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
environment.
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 threats to coral reefs are over
fishing, coastal development, marring 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.
The
future of our children
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 available; 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 drought 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 despondency, the
SPACE NEWS DAILY has emblazoned in this headline: IN THE
YEAR 2030, HUMANKIND SHALL HAVE KILLED 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 truth 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.
More bailouts continue in the U.S., the European Union, and
the U.K. as governments desperately seek to find a quick
fix to the already gloomy situation.
Markets, from New York to Hong Kong, are in a daze.
Financial whiz kids and the Federal Reserve Board are all
going bananas on how to save their economies first (and
other economies globally, second).
The present model obviously is the wrong model.
In my view, there will always be solutions to economic
failures.
A ray of hope is shining through from Bangladesh where
Prof. Muhammad Yunus, CEO of the Grameen Bank, successfully
applied micro-credit -- the extension of small loans to
small entrepreneurs.
Recall that Grameen Bank, which he founded, and his
extraordinary work were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace
Prize.
Where his projects are in place, the critical stakeholders
measure the bank’s success not in dollars and cents but by
the number of children who have been sent to school, and
the number of solar-powered houses established.
Now, it is appropriate to ask ourselves: how much have we
invested in people and the future?
I write this sadly and with extreme concern, seeing how the
environment has been given scant attention by current world
leaders.
At this time, the U.S. Eastern Seaboard is experiencing its
coldest season -- and it is not yet winter time.
The same goes for European cities that have been locked in
freezing temperatures.
The Arctic Ice is melting. Eco-systems are collapsing
rapidly. Eco-system benefits are over U.S. $47 Trillion, as
cited by the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) at
its last count.
We are talking about eco-life, economics-management, and
ecology-management of the planet.
The Greek had this in their laws: economics and ecology go
hand in hand. They are inseparable. They complement one
another.
A good ecology will enhance good economics. Species are
going extinct faster than they are being discovered.
The IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of
Nature) has reported that 1/4 (one-fourth) of all mammals
have gone extinct. The same goes for amphibians.
On the other hand, hope for real change has been raised by
President-elect Barack Obama of the U.S.
Of course, it has taken a long time from the days Martin
Luther King had said: “I have a dream.”
Following formation of his transition team, Mr. Obama has
mentioned he would take on climate change issues as a
priority.
This statement is music to our ears.
When the most powerful (and also, the most wasteful) country
says it will fight climate change, then the world has reason
to look forward and cheer.
Together, we can make a difference to fight the
environmental and economic meltdown.
Yes, we can. All in unison. I too, had a dream that our
planet would be ecologically healthy.
And that peace will reign and goodwill prevails.
As I have always advocated, a healthy environment is good
economics.
(Antonio M. Claparols is president of the Ecological Society
of the Philippines).
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 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.
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 and 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, and 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 garbage dump, with
150 dead zones at last count. These dead zones have run 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 crunch.
It was 60 years ago that the IUCN was
founded by an eminent group of forward thinking people in
the forest city of Fontainebleau, 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, it’s 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
ravaged.
Today, we face a shortage of food and
water, with over a billion people living under poverty
level.
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 topsoil 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 millennium development
goals set forth during the World Summit on Sustainable
Development in 2002, in Johannesburg, South 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 pristine forest.
There are so many issues to tackle, so
many battles to wage, and yet the wanton degradation of our
natural capital remains unabated.
Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace laureate
from Bangladesh, who is the founder and CEO of Grameen Bank,
was one of the key speakers at the opening ceremony.
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 impressed 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.
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 greatly 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 and Picasso.
Let us win this war and give nature the
right to life.
The Ecological 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 aggressively 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 of 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. The E.U.
leadership must address this.
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.
(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 either party
could terminate the contract 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.
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.
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.
Stop destroying forests
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.
Nature has its rights
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 and 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.
Our Earth is not for sale
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."
More Summits, no action
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.
Warning aired on food crisis
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
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