Floods devastate Philippines as president declares ‘state of disaster’
- The Philippines is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate-related weather events.
- A World Bank report examines innovations and gaps in policy and financing for climate change programs in the country.
- Adaptation to climate change is critical to achieving inclusive growth.
- The Philippines has been struggling with heavy rains, floods and landslides since early January, conditions that prompted President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, must officially declare a “state of natural disaster” in Misamis province in the west of the country.
- According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, at least 28 people died in January and more than 211,000 were evacuated.
- The Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,100 islands, ranks among the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate-related disasters.
The Philippines has been struggling with heavy rains, floods and landslides since early January, forcing evacuations and prompting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
must officially declare a “state of natural disaster” in the southern province of Misamis Occidental.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, at least 28 people died in January and more than 211,000 were evacuated.
Torrential rains have occurred almost daily this month and have destroyed homes, crops and infrastructure across the country.
Showers still occur even though the Philippines typically experiences a cool, dry season from December to February.
Misamis Occidental, the Northern Mindanao region and Eastern Visayas in the central Philippines are among the affected areas.
The Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,100 islands, ranks among the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate-related disasters, but it contributes little to climate change.post-global.
The Philippines usually experiences 20 storms a year and about 6 to 9 storms make landfall each year.
The country also regularly experiences landslides and floods, partly due to the increasing intensity of tropical storms.
The president, who recently oversaw aid distribution in Misamis Occidental, said there must be a lasting solution to the country’s flooding situation.
“We are looking at everything to find a solution,” Marcos said last week.
“But in the long term, we need to think about how to make sure this never happens again.”
This month’s deadly floods have raised concerns that climate change is causing more frequent and intense extreme weather events across the country.
Typhoons, rising sea levels and storm surges, all of which pose dangers to the Philippines’ urban and coastal populations, are expected to increase as climate change worsens.
RECALL THE GETTING A GRIP ON CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PHILIPPINES
- The Philippines is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate-related weather events.
- A World Bank report examines innovations and gaps in policy and financing for climate change programs in the country.
- Adaptation to climate change is critical to achieving inclusive growth.
The report also highlights that while the government builds resilience to the impacts of climate change, it must also ensure that the country’s greenhouse gas emissions (e.g.
methane and carbon dioxide) still under control.
Despite contributing little to global climate change, the Philippines’ greenhouse gas emissions are among the 25% highest among low- and middle-income countries, with significant increases expected.
in the coming decades.
Emissions from the energy sector are expected to quadruple by 2030, and the transportation sector is expected to double emissions.
Policymakers have put in place a comprehensive set of policies, programs and institutions to address climate change.
This important report helps us better focus our work as we strive to make our communities safer and people less vulnerable to rising sea levels and extreme weather events such as storms, floods and rising waters, among other impacts.
