GHG emissions
THE world is not yet on the edge of the hopeless stretch, but governments across the globe ought to act now – and fast – to address the worsening problem of climate change.
Environmentalists, experts and specialists agree that global warming would continue to have “untold consequences” for many major industries, such as tourism and fisheries.
Note that global warming, which is brought about by society’s continued addiction to fossil fuels, systematically bleaches and devastates the world’s remaining coral reefs.
Healthy coral reefs provide shelter and spawning grounds to a wide range of ocean life, like fish. They support commercial and subsistence fisheries as well as jobs and businesses.
In the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the country’s first Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), which sets a 75% greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction by 2030.
It is part of the Philippine government’s commitment to the landmark Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
Compared to the country’s intended NDC that was submitted way back in 2015, which conveyed a conditional 70 percent GHG reduction target, this first official NDC conveys a higher target.
The NDC represents the country’s goal of modernizing and pursuing low carbon and resilient development for the agriculture, waste, industry, transport and energy sectors over the 2020-2030 period.
“The Philippines is submitting an ambitious NDC target of 75-percent reduction of GHG emissions by 2030 in the name of climate justice,” said Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III.
At the same time, Dominguez called on the international community to work together to strengthen global efforts for climate change mitigation and adaptation during this critical decade.
“We expect that developed nations will deliver their commitments to the Paris Agreement with the right speed and scale to keep global average temperature from breaching the 1.5 degrees celsius survival threshold,” he said.
In the view of many, the worsening of climate change is causing great concern among the peoples across the world, including the more than 100 million Filipinos.
