LESSON 7.1: CONTEMPORARY ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Threatened Biodiversity and Deforestation

• The very rapid rate of biodiversity loss is alarming. The Philippines ranks 4th in the Asi-Pacific region in terms of the bumber of threatened species.

Threatened Biodiversity and Deforestation

• The Philippines has a total of 784 threatened fauna species and threatened flora species.

Overextraction and Exploitation of Mineral Resources

• The effects of overextraction of mineral resources of the Philippines, the country is yet to fully utilize this resource for national industries.

Over-extraction and Exploitation of Mineral Resources

• Destruction of forest and ocean, affecting biodiversity;

• Increase in landslide, subsidence and erosion hazards;

• Pollution of bodies of water;

• Conflicts among mining communities because of displacement of local population (CEC - Philippines, 2016).

Degradation of Coastal Ecosystems

• The Philippines was a part of the 11 “coral hot spots” or areas with the most-degraded coral reefs, from 2002 to 2001.

Degradation of Coastal Ecosystems

• 40% of the corals in the Philippines waters are in deteriorated conditions. Other coastal resource issue include mangrove deforestation, destroyed seagrass beds, and declines in fish food.

Climate Change

• A complex phenomenon involving a significant change in measures of climate, observed for long periods of time.

Climate Change

• Indicators of climate change are alterations in temperature, rainfall, servere weather events, rises in sea levels, and melting of ice.

Some impacts of Climate Change in the Philippines

• Radical weather phenomena such as increased intensity and frequency of storms, heat waves, drought, heavy rains, and flooding;

• Decline in rice yields;

• Water scarcity; and

• A surge of diseases.