module 1: understanding climate change contents

Module 1:

UNDERSTANDING CLIMATE CHANGE

Contents

Module 1A: World Views on Humans and Nature .............................................................................. 2

Module 1B: Weather and Climate ...................................................................................................... 9

Module 1C: Climate Change and Disasters ....................................................................................... 29

Module 1D: The Social Dimensions of Climate Change ..................................................................... 40

July 2013

Knowledge and Training Resource Center on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction Cordillera Studies Center

University of the Philippines Baguio

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Module 1A: World Views on Humans and Nature

Prepared by:

Leticia M. Estrada-Tolentino

Department of History and Philosophy

College of Social Sciences


Many studies have shown that the Philippines is disaster-trapped. Sitting on one

section of the Pacific Ring of Fire and hosting more than a thousand tropical cyclones

each year, the country has, year after year, reeled from the effects of disasters. While

Filipinos are by nature resilient in the face of countless calamities and disasters they

experience, the loss of lives and properties cause unimaginable suffering. The poor,

including women and children, compose the lot, and the misery and the helplessness

these experience compound the effects these disasters and calamities bring.

Numerous studies have likewise reported that many of these disasters and

calamities could have been averted. Ignorance, neglect and indifference have aggravated

these occurrences. The leitmotif of conditions and attitudes has, in effect, heightened the

magnitude of disasters and calamities and has left tremendous implications on the lives

of people. Most disasters are claimed to be anthropogenic. In what ways and why?

These are questions sought to be answered by this module.

This module specifically seeks to present a chronological account of various

worldviews about humans and nature. It also endeavours to underscore the

chronological implications of these world views and their adverse effects on nature,

thereby in the end, provide a model of the right attitude toward nature.

A. THE ANCIENT PERIOD: THE PRESOCRATICS

The dawn of history has generated a variety of noble and mysterious views of nature, humans and the world. It is common contention during this period that the world in general came from the gods and every facet of the world including nature was dominated by a particular deity. Each deity held humans spellbound by their power and influence. Through this power and influence, humans orchestrated their activities and ordered their day-to-day lives according to the gods. Nature was blessed or cursed by the gods depending on humans’ conduct. They can sow prosperity and well-being as well as poverty and ill-health; they can reward or punish and cause human happiness or suffering. It was in this accord that humans and nature existed. The mutuality, respect, not to mention adulation and wonder on the part of humans, marked the ancient period. To the early Greeks, the world too was a source of observation and speculation. The notion of the URSTOFF played a key role in their understanding of the world. Thales, for instance, saw the abundance of water surrounding Greece and so in the process concluded that water was the basic stuff or ‘urstoff’ that made the

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world. Coupled by this observation was his belief that nothing survived without it. Just like Thales, another son of Miletus also observed the boundless, limitless universe. The gamut of changes around him that Anaximander perceived caused him to wonder. “What causes this alternation of qualities which, whether rapid or slow, goes on ceaselessly in the natural world?"1

Thus was born his concept of the APEIRON, the unlimited potentialities which

account for the “innumerable changes that make up the incessant ongoingness of the

world. And being qualitatively unlimited it is logically superior to any and every kind of

particularity.”2

The third among the Milesian philosophers contended that it is air as the

“prototype of reality.” Wheelwright cites a fragment from Anaximenes’ writings to

corroborate this point: “As our souls, being air, holds us together, so breath and air

embrace the entire universe.”3

Presocratic philosophy or Ionic Philosophy is essentially termed natural

philosophy or cosmology since they delved into the first principle of the universe which

they called ‘arche.’ “They first raised the question of the basic substance underlying all

things, to which the three Milesians gave different answers.”4

From the notion of the first principle or ‘arche’ and the basic substance or

‘urstoff’, the problem of change or flux, and with it the problem of being and becoming

penetrated the Greek mind. Conscious of the ever-evolving nature of the world and

everything in it, the Greeks realized that the word nature “is not as something complete

and finished, but rather as something still in the stage of formation and growth, as a

process.”5

“The Greek always imagined nature as animate. On the mythical plane,

everything, land and sea, mountains and rivers, trees and bush were all for him full of

divine beings; on the philosophic plane he imagined all matter as animate, not excepting

even stones, for they too develop a force. . . The problem of life and mind does not exist

for these thinkers, for everything is living and infused although in varying degrees with

mind. A nature deprived of the vital principle was for the Greek unimaginable.”6

To the Greeks then, every person strives for wisdom and leads toward an

unblemished, irreproachable life. He chooses to avoid transgressions of any kind toward

nature and toward his fellow humans. He aims at peace and serenity or ATARAXIA and

contemplates on nature and everything about her and within her. He “accompanies the

moon, the sun and the rotations of the other stars. (Their) bodies remain on earth, but

1 Philip Wheelwright, (ed.) The Presocratics. (New York: Odyssey Press, Inc. 1966), p. 55

2 Ibid.

33 Anaximenes, in Wheelwright, p. 61.

4 Zeller, Eduard, Outlines of the History of Greek Philosophy. (New York: Meridian Books, Inc., 1960), p. 40.

5 Ibid.

6 Ibid., pp. 40-41.

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they give wings to their souls, so that rising into the ether, they may observe the powers

which dwell there, as is fitting for those who have truly become citizens of the world.

The world is their city, and the citizens are the companions of wisdom; they have

received their civic rights from virtue, which has been entrusted with presiding over the

universal commonwealth.”7

The Greek way of life comprised of a universal cosmological consciousness or

PHUSIS that linked nature, humans and their city or community. This linkage

manifested as a way of living. Wisdom was the metaphysical norm which guided their

actions. “We are part of the cosmos, and the consequent dilation of our self throughout

the infinity of universal nature.”8 An Epicurean disciple has aptly put this when he said:

“Although you are mortal, and have only a limited life-span, yet you have risen through

the contemplation of nature, to the infinity of space and time, and you have seen all the

past and all the future.”9

THE SOPHISTS

The advent of the Sophists changed the spectrum of Greek thought. From the

former preoccupation with the cosmos, the universe or the world, a transformation

dawned. It concentrated on humans. The wonderment about the world ceased; man

became the focus and the locus of attention and contention. Man became the center of

the universe – he knows and he rules – the only one who tops the evolutionary ladder.

While admittedly, the Sophists pioneered the task of education, realizing the importance

of humans and their roles in practical and political life, the shock they have rendered to

Socrates and his followers was notable. Their individualism and demagoguery, to

Socrates’ mind, were unGreek in nature and have caused quite a stir.

Protagoras’ concept of ‘homo mensura’ or man is the measure of all things gave

man the highest and noblest status no being in the world has ever attained. Nature or

the world is not an equal of man because nature has become subservient to his needs.

Nature exists and assumes significance because of man. Nature, hence, has become the

web that man controls and occupies, uses and profits from. Truly, humans’ entry into

the world caused the decline of nature.

THE WISDOM PHILOSOPHERS

The perpetuation of man’s dominion over nature because of his reason attained

its zenith during the time of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. The emphasis on man’s

rational faculty marked his demarcation from the rest of the world. The Platonian

concept of the two worlds just proves this point. According to Plato, the world of ideas is

7 Pierre Hadot, Philosophy as a Way of Life, (London: Blackwell Pblishing, 2010), 264,

8 Ibid. P. 266.

9 Ibid.

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the only genuine world. The world of sensation or the material world is chimeral; it is

simply a photocopy of the world of mind. Because it is chimeral; it is false; It is only

secondary knowledge since “it is a distorted reflection of the eternal and immutable

world of forms.”10 The world of forms or ideas is an absolute, perfect, and unchanging

world. It is the only source of true or genuine knowledge.

This world view corroborates what Dobzhansky intimates as the downright

disregard for the material world. If Plato considers the world as ‘mere distortion,’ then

the material world cannot be trusted. Our perception may lie, and therefore, should be

under the control of mind or reason. This intellectual snobbery connotes that anything

that does not pass the rational test does not merit acceptance nor recognition.

Dobzhansky concludes: 11

The universe began with a distant Age of Gold, and then degenerated to an Age of

Iron.

B. THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD

Christianity has postulated another world view. It is one that demystified man ‘s

reason and brought him a notch lower than what humans expected. The glory that

humans enjoyed being at the top of the evolutionary ladder has been transformed

into the fall of humans needing redemption. Christianity, among all religions, accepts

this Fall of humans but also warrants their progressive rise to attain what St.

Augustine calls The City of God.

In this context, nature was seen as a companion to man. It becomes his source of

provision and sustenance, his comfort and shelter and in everything that man

desires. Both man and nature emanated from God. God exists through them. They

are creatures made in His image and likeness, and therefore possess the God’s divine

characteristics. God has created everything and eventually everything returns to

Him in the end. Respect for life and everything in possession of life became a

religious mandate, but since man culturally developed further and farther through

time, this religious mandate received relative interpretation from humans.

C. MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY WORLDVIEWS

“Man is a biological species and the most extraordinary product of the process.

He is essentially unique; his uniqueness lies on having evolved Culture. It is his

exclusive property.”12 This notion essentially depicts a contrast between the ancient

sage and contemporary man. While the “ancient sage or sophos was conscious of

living in the cosmos as such and placed himself in harmony with the cosmos,”

contemporary man lives content in the glorifying context of technology and the rape 10

Theodosius Dobzhansky, The Biological Basis of Human Freedom. (New York: Columbia University Press, 1960), p. 4. 11

Ibid. 12 Op.cit.

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of nature to serve his multifarious ends. Nature was abused to the hilt, with

unabated human activities that resulted not only to the depletion of natural

resources but also to the continuous destruction of nature and the environment.

IMPLICATIONS OF THESE WORLDVIEWS

The foregoing worldviews have outlined three major attitudes of humans

towards nature and the world as a whole. First, Protagoras, the founder of the

Sophists, and his notion of HOMO MENSURA created the “attitude (that) centered on

humankind and the rest of nature as being there for the good of humans.”13 This is

called ANTHROPOCENTRISM. Nature is there for the use of man. We look at nature

including other humans as objects to meet and satisfy our needs, to exploit and

manipulate to achieve our ends. It is consequently both utilitarian and pragmatic.

Countless disasters and even calamities that befell humans are anthropogenic. It

is the attitude that humans, due to neglect, ignorance and indifference towards

nature and their environment, have perpetrated or inadvertently done that create

disasters or even calamities to happen. The load of trash indiscriminately disposed

of or thrown along riverbanks and other waterways, along empty yards and other

premises have been disgraceful manifestations that come from humans – the so-

called highest and the noblest of God’s creatures. The continuous creation and

perpetration of technological discoveries that are harmful to humans and nature

itself go beyond our wildest imagination. These are just a few examples of conditions

that perpetuate disasters and calamities to occur and the list goes on. But, the

question remains - If this world is our only dwelling place, and nature itself has so

blessed humans with an infinite array of blessings, how come we have been so

sanitized and unaffected by the negative, global conditions that beset us?

The second attitude is BIOCENTRISM. It is the belief and attitude that all life is

interconnected. The early Greeks have shown evidences of this view. The whole of

nature and the world and humans comprise a unity. As such respect for all that

dwells within merits not only respect and consideration..

And lastly, THEOCENTRISM – the attitude that by virtue of each being a creature

of God, each has a rightful place in the world. Humans have the moral and the

intellectual endowments to serve as responsible caretakers of God’s domain. As

caring and responsible citizens of the world, they follow the religious mandate of

being protectors and conservers of their environment and the whole of nature.

Following the biocentric perspective, theocentrism presupposes that everything has

innate worth regardless of what and how humans perceive them. This intrinsic

worth of nature contrasts with the anthropocentric view where humans perceive

themselves as apart from the world and that nature per se can be used by man in

13 Bryant, La Velle and Searle, 2005.

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manifold ways to suit his ends. This extrinsic view of nature and the world has had

tremendous ramifications we experience today.

The future of nature is in the balance and so with the future of the next

generations. What could be done to avert the propensity of greater disasters or even

calamities to arise? Paul W. Taylor provides a possible solution.

THE LIFE-CENTERED THEORY OF ETHICS

The problems that confront humanity today in great proportions have resulted

in environmental ethics – “the discipline in philosophy that studies the moral

relationship of human beings to, and also the value and moral status of the environment

and its nonhuman contents.”14 In 1981, Paul Taylor crafted his Life-Centered Theory of

Ethics which sought to inculcate among humans “an ultimate moral attitude towards

nature.” 15 Taylor believed that all life is interconnected. Humans and the whole of

nature comprise the web of life that mutually sustains and supports each other. He

belies the concepts of efficiency and practicality that ground themselves on the idea of

instrumentality. Respect for nature and the whole life forms constitute his foundational

belief.

His ethical theory is composed of two elements, namely:16

That every organism, species population, and community of life has a good of its own which moral agents can intentionally further or damage by their actions. To say that an entity has a good of its own is simply to say that, without reference to any other entity, it can be benefitted or harmed. . . What is good for an entity is what ‘does it good’ in the sense of enhancing or preserving its life and well-being. What is bad for an entity i something that is detrimental to its life and well-being. The emphasis laid by Taylor in his ethical theory lies mainly on the word ‘intentionality.’ Human beings are conscious of the potential impact of their actions. WE cannot deny or ignore the implications of our actions whether they maintain or destroy life. It is rather paradoxical how some of us can remain unruffled by the gravity of some of our actions. Simone de Beauvoir corroborates this when she said: Man is “one who remains indifferent to the content , that is, to the human meaning of his action, one who thinks he can assert his own existence without taking into account that of others.”17 Invariably, this notion of ‘others’ may very well include nature and the horrendous implications this notion of human insensitivity brings become unthinkable.

14

Brennan and Lo, 2011. 15

Paul W. Taylor, The Ethics of Respect for Nature; A Theory of Environmental Ethics. (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1986), p. 199. 16

Ibid. 17 Simone de Beauvoir, Ethics of Ambiguity, 1966.

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One noteworthy thesis in Taylor’s theory is how the environment or nature can possibly respond if humans disappeared from the earth. Taylor writes:18

Indeed, from their standpoint the very existence of humans is quite unnecessary.

Every last man, woman, and child could disappear from the face of the earth

without any significant detrimental consequence for the good of wild animals

and plants. On the contrary, many of them would be benefitted. The destruction

of their habitats by ‘human developments’ would cease. The poisoning and

polluting of their environment would come to an end. The Earth’s, air, and water

would no longer be subject to the degradation they are now undergoing as the

result of the large-scale technology and uncontrolled population growth.

The dependence of humans on nature is undeniable. The benevolence of nature

on humans has been requited however with human arrogance or HYBRIS and

malevolence done in the name of development and progress.

In connection to the above, therefore, Taylor proposes an ethical attitude toward

nature that humans should develop. To wit: 19

1. Adoption of a certain ultimate moral attitude toward nature which is called

‘respect for nature.’

2. The creation of a belief system that constitutes a way of conceiving the

natural world and our place in it.

3. The development of a system of rules and standards for guiding our

treatment of those ecosystems and life communities, a set of normative

principles which give concrete embodiment or expression to the attitude of

respect for nature.

While Taylor has provided a liberal formulation of his theory, it has stirred the

genesis of innumerable ideas, inspiring numerous ethical works and perspectives to

emerge. Taylor’s ethical theory has intimated the ‘humbling of man’ in the grand scheme

of things. It views man not as the center of the universe, not as homo mensura, not as

measure of things, but as one among the many spectacular creations of God.

The recognition of the inherent worth and the innate ability of all things for self-

determination is an eye-opener. Although Taylor did not provide a set of specific

formulations to flesh out his theory, his suggestion could very well be studied and

become a springboard for ideas to develop the moral attitude he endorses. The

supremacy of humans have laid great stress on nature and the world. And, unless, we

address the problems wrought by this supremacy, we will surely be in for more stresses

and problems, probably much greater than we have today.

18

Op. Cit., 208. 19 Ibid.

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Module 1B: Weather and Climate Prepared by:

Ian Jasper A. Agulo Department of Physical Sciences


I. Brief Description

The study of weather and climate is very important to everyday living. Understanding

the differences between them and the parameters to describe them is essential in order to help

us plan our everyday life. Weather and climate affects the decisions that we need to make, the

crops that we grow in a particular place, aircraft and maritime operations, the architecture, and

even our culture and our physical attributes! This module begins with the definition of weather

and climate, followed by a description of the various factors that create and affect our weather,

finishing with how these factors are measured.

II. Learning Objectives

At the end of the module, the participants are expected to:

1. Understand the basics of the science of weather and climate

2. Determine and explain the various variables that are used to describe the

weather

3. Know how to interpret the weather variables

III. Materials needed: DLP, laptop, laser pointer

IV. Time required: 45 minutes

V. Content

A. What is weather and climate?

Weather is the state or condition of the atmosphere at any given place over a short

period of time. The period of time can last from a couple of hours to a few days. For example, if

we expect rain in Baguio the next day, we refer to this as tomorrow’s weather. Climate, on the

other hand, refers to the average weather pattern in a give place over a long period of time. In

the Philippines, we know that the rainy season in the Philippines begins in June, is at its peak

during the months of August and September, and levels down during the month of November.

We also know that the months of December to February are the coldest months during the year,

and that March signals the beginning of the hot season. This yearly pattern of weather

behaviour is what we refer to as the climate.

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The figure below shows the effect of climate on the terrain. It drives the various regions

to become wet or dry or arid depending on its location relative to the equator. Each region with

the same color is called a zone. Thus, the green zone corresponds to the tropical wet zone,

wherein the Philippines is part of. The figure below shows several zones such as tropical wet,

tropical dry, semiarid, arid (dry and hot all year round), Mediterranean (mild winters and dry

hot summers), marine west coast, humid subtropical, cool summer, subarctic, tundra

(mountains, which are very cold all year round), highlands and ice zone.

Figure 1. World Climate according to Climatic Zones. The Philippines is within the Tropical Wet

Zone.

B. How do we describe our weather?

We typically describe our weather by talking about what the temperature is, how humid

our environment is, how calm or strong the winds are, and if there are changes in the ambient

pressure. Sometimes, we simply look at the sky and see if the sun is up or if clouds are present

or not. However, looking at the sky will only give us a qualitative rough estimate of the weather

and in some, if not most, cases provide an inaccurate description of what is going to happen in

our environment in the next couple of hours. We therefore need to quantify these parameters in

order to improve the accuracy of our description.

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Figure 2. Storm brewing over a populated area – or are they just clouds passing by? The only

way to be sure is to measure environmental parameters.

What parameters do we use to describe the weather?

1. Temperature

This parameter describes how hot or cold our environment is. In the

Philippines, we use the unit of degrees Celsius (°C) to describe the temperature.

A thermometer is used to measure temperature. There are various types of

thermometers depending on the application and the range of temperature

required by the application. Previous thermometers used to measure body and

ambient temperature were mercury-based. However, due to the potential health

hazards of mercury, such thermometers are no longer recommended for use.

Nowadays, semiconductor-based thermometers are accurate, cheap and easily

be bought off the shelf.

The average temperature in the Philippines is around 27°C, with a

temperature variation of about 10°C throughout the year. The average

temperature in Baguio is around 19°C, also with a temperature variation of about

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10°C all year round. The temperature variation means that in Baguio, for

example, the temperature can be as low as 9°C and as high as 29°C.

Figure 3. Minimum and maximum temperatures in Baguio City, Philippines in

2013.

The temperature is affected by the location of a particular place relative to

the equator and its height relative to sea level. The picture below shows the

variation of temperature with respect to vertical location relative to sea level.

According to the picture, if the temperature in Manila (sea level) is about 18°C,

the temperature in Baguio would be about 11°C. At the top of Mt. Pulag, it would

be about 0°C. These temperatures are typical temperatures in Manila, Baguio and

Mt. Pulag during the month of January. At the top of Mt. Everest (the tallest

mountain on our planet), the temperature could go down below -20°C, which is

why people need to wear protective thermal clothing when climbing Mt. Everest.

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Figure 4. The variation of temperature on relative height with respect to sea level. The arrows indicate the relative heights of Baguio City and Mt. Pulag, Kabayan, Benguet and the corresponding temperatures [insert reference number].

2. Humidity

Humidity describes how wet or how dry the air is. In other words, it

describes the amount of water vapour that is present in the air. The presence of

water vapour in the air is important due to the property of water to take in heat.

Water is actually very good in absorbing heat. Thus, the higher the amount of

water vapour in the air (or humidity), the more heat is present.

Humidity is quantified relative to a certain standard, and is expressed in

percent relative humidity. A 100% relative humidity means that the air is

completely filled with water vapour. A 35% relative humidity means that there is

more dry air than water vapour. The Philippines, being a tropical country, has an

average relative humidity of ... In Baguio, the average relative humidity is ...

One can actually quantify the degree of comfort or discomfort that a

person might feel based on the temperature and relative humidity of the

environment. Generally, Manila has a high relative humidity, and on a hot day,

we all feel a certain discomfort when travelling to Manila under such conditions.

However, at night, even though the humidity can be relatively high, it can become

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quite comfortable. Thus, there is an interplay between comfort and the

combination of the effects of temperature and relative humidity. This dynamics

is described in the figure below, which depicts the humidex. Basically, a humidex

of 29 is still comfortable to the feel, while a humidex of 30 and above is rather

unpleasant.

As an example, on a hot day in Baguio, when the temperature is 25°C and

a relative humidity of 55%, the humidex is 29. Under these conditions, we should

still feel comfort. On the other hand, at the same temperature at night in Manila

with a relative humidity of 70%, the feeling is rather “sticky” and unpleasant.

These conditions describe a humidex of 32.

Figure 5. Degree of comfort based on the temperature and relative humidity in

ambient air.

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3. Pressure

Pressure is the amount of force that is exerted by air over a particular

area. Yes, indeed, air exerts pressure on us. We feel this increase in air pressure

when we travel from Baguio to Manila, when our ears pop as it adjusts to the

changing air pressure. This means that air pressure is dependent on the distance

relative to sea level. The figure below shows the dependence of pressure on

altitude. As shown in the figure, at the same altitude as Mt. Pulag, the air density

has already decreased by as much as 20%! That’s 20% less oxygen at an altitude

of about 3 km. This is the reason why it is easy for people from the lowlands to

run out of breath at high altitudes – they actually breath in less air than what

they are used to. At an altitude, equivalent to the height of Mt. Everest, the air

pressure may decrease by as much as 72%! This is also the reason why a lot of

unexperienced climbers pass out and why back-up oxygen tanks are required

when climbing up Mt. Everest.

Figure 6. Pressure and density relative to altitude.

Pressure is measured by means of a device called a barometer. The units

of pressure may be in atm (atmosphere), psi (pounds per square inch), or more

typically bar or mbar (millibar). The standard atmosphere at sea level is about 1

atm or 1013 mbar or 14.7 psi.

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Pressure is also a very good indicator of incoming weather disturbance. If

a storm is nearby, it tends to pull air from the surrounding into it. This causes the

pressure of the surrounding to decrease. This basic idea may be a basis for

predicting if a storm is coming.

4. Wind speed

The wind speed is measured by means of an anemometer and has units of

km/h (kilometres per hour) or m/s (meters per second). An anemometer

basically has three semispherical cups placed vertically and connected together

at one end along a vertical axis. Thus, when the wind hits any one of the cups, it

causes the anemometer to rotate. The wind speed can then be inferred from the

anemometer’s speed of rotation. The figure below shows what an anemometer

looks like.

By carefully watching the pressure on a barometer, you can forecast local weather

using these simple guidelines:

• Decreasing barometric pressure indicates storms, rain and windy weather. • Rising barometric pressure indicates good, dry, and colder weather. • Slow, regular and moderate falls in pressure suggest a low pressure area is

passing in a nearby region. Marked changes in the weather where you are located are unlikely.

• Small rapid decreases in pressure indicate a nearby change in weather. They are usually followed by brief spells of wind and showers.

• A quick drop in pressure over a short time indicates a storm is likely in 5 to 6 hours.

• Large, slow and sustained decreasing pressure forecasts a long period of poor weather. The weather will be more pronounced if the pressure started rising before it began to drop.

• A rapid rise in pressure, during fair weather and average, or above average pressure, indicates a low pressure cell is approaching. The pressure will soon decrease forecasting poorer weather.

• Quickly rising pressure, when the pressure is low, indicates a short period of fair weather is likely.

• A large, slow and sustained rise in pressure forecasts a long period of good weather is on its way.

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Figure 7. A wind vane to measure wind direction and an anemometer to measure wind speed.

Wind speed describes the strength of the approaching storm. The

Beaufort scale below graphically shows the effect of wind speed on the

landscape. In the Philippines, we normally have our own weather scale.

5. Wind direction

This parameter refers to where the direction the wind is going. Both wind

speed and wind direction can give us information on where and when an

approaching storm will reach a certain location. The wind direction is measured

by a wind vane (see above figure). The wind vane is initially set-up to point

towards the magnetic North pole.

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pgr

aded

du

rin

g th

e en

tire

exi

sten

ce

of

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tro

pic

al c

yclo

ne,

on

ly v

ery

ligh

t o

r n

o d

amag

e at

all

may

be

sust

ain

ed b

y th

e ex

po

sed

co

mm

un

itie

s.

R

ice

cro

p, h

ow

ever

, may

su

ffer

si

gnif

ican

t d

amag

e w

hen

it is

in it

s fl

ow

erin

g st

age.

ME

TE

OR

OL

OG

ICA

L

CO

ND

ITIO

NS

A t

rop

ical

cyc

lon

e w

ill

affe

ct t

he

loca

lity

wit

h

win

d s

pee

ds

of

30

-60

k

ph

in

at

leas

t 3

6 h

ou

rs

PU

BL

IC

STO

RM

W

AR

NIN

G

SIG

NA

L

1

of 43

PR

EC

AU

TIO

NA

RY

ME

ASU

RE

S

T

he

sea

and

co

asta

l w

ater

s ar

e d

ange

rou

s to

sm

all

seac

raft

s

Spec

ial

atte

nti

on

sh

ou

ld b

e gi

ven

to

th

e la

test

po

siti

on

, th

e d

irec

tio

n a

nd

sp

eed

o

f m

ove

men

t an

d t

he

inte

nsi

ty o

f th

e st

orm

as

it m

ay in

ten

sify

an

d m

ove

to

war

ds

the

loca

lity

.

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e ge

ner

al p

ub

lic

esp

ecia

lly

peo

ple

tr

avel

lin

g b

y se

a an

d a

ir a

re c

auti

on

ed

to a

void

un

nec

essa

ry r

isk

s.

O

utd

oo

r ac

tivi

ties

of

chil

dre

n s

ho

uld

b

e p

ost

po

ned

.

Secu

re p

rop

erti

es b

efo

re t

he

sign

al is

u

pgr

aded

.

Dis

aste

r p

rep

ared

nes

s ag

enci

es /

o

rgan

izat

ion

s ar

e in

act

ion

to

ale

rt

thei

r co

mm

un

itie

s.

IMP

AC

T O

F T

HE

WIN

DS

So

me

coco

nu

t tr

ees

may

be

tilt

ed

wit

h f

ew o

ther

s b

rok

en.

F

ew b

ig t

rees

may

be

up

roo

ted

.

Man

y b

anan

a p

lan

ts m

ay b

e d

ow

ned

.

Ric

e an

d c

orn

may

be

adve

rsel

y af

fect

ed.

L

arge

nu

mb

er o

f n

ipa

and

co

gon

h

ou

ses

may

be

par

tial

ly o

r to

tall

y u

nro

ofe

d.

So

me

old

gal

van

ized

iro

n r

oo

fin

gs

may

be

pee

led

off

.

In g

ener

al, t

he

win

ds

may

bri

ng

ligh

t to

mo

der

ate

dam

age

to t

he

exp

ose

d

com

mu

nit

ies.

ME

TE

OR

OL

OG

ICA

L

CO

ND

ITIO

NS

A t

rop

ical

cyc

lon

e w

ill

affe

ct t

he

loca

lity

wit

h

win

d s

pee

ds

of

60

-10

0

kp

h in

at

leas

t 2

4 h

ou

rs

PU

BL

IC

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RM

W

AR

NIN

G

SIG

NA

L

2

of 43

PR

EC

AU

TIO

NA

RY

ME

ASU

RE

S

T

he

dis

turb

ance

is d

ange

rou

s to

th

e co

mm

un

itie

s th

reat

ened

/aff

ecte

d.

T

he

sea

and

co

asta

l w

ater

s w

ill

be

very

d

ange

rou

s to

all

sea

craf

ts.

T

rave

l is

ver

y ri

sky

esp

ecia

lly

by

sea

and

air

.

Peo

ple

are

ad

vise

d t

o s

eek

sh

elte

r in

st

ron

g b

uil

din

gs, e

vacu

ate

low

-lyi

ng

area

s an

d t

o s

tay

away

fro

m t

he

coas

ts

and

riv

er b

ank

s.

W

atch

ou

t fo

r th

e p

assa

ge o

f th

e "e

ye"

of

the

typ

ho

on

ind

icat

ed b

y a

sud

den

o

ccu

rren

ce o

f fa

ir w

eath

er

imm

edia

tely

aft

er v

ery

bad

wea

ther

w

ith

ver

y st

ron

g w

ind

s co

min

g ge

ner

ally

fro

m t

he

no

rth

.

Wh

en t

he

"ey

e" o

f th

e ty

ph

oo

n h

it t

he

com

mu

nit

y d

o n

ot

ven

ture

aw

ay f

rom

th

e sa

fe s

hel

ter

bec

ause

aft

er o

ne

to

two

ho

urs

th

e w

ors

t w

eath

er w

ill

resu

me

wit

h t

he

very

str

on

g w

ind

s co

min

g fr

om

th

e so

uth

.

Cla

sses

in a

ll le

vels

sh

ou

ld b

e su

spen

ded

an

d c

hil

dre

n s

ho

uld

sta

y in

th

e sa

fety

of

stro

ng

bu

ild

ings

.

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aste

r p

rep

ared

nes

s an

d r

esp

on

se

agen

cies

/org

aniz

atio

ns

are

in a

ctio

n

wit

h a

pp

rop

riat

e re

spo

nse

to

act

ual

em

erge

ncy

.

IMP

AC

T O

F T

HE

WIN

DS

M

any

coco

nu

t tr

ees

may

be

bro

ken

o

r d

estr

oye

d.

A

lmo

st a

ll b

anan

a p

lan

ts m

ay b

e d

ow

ned

an

d a

larg

e n

um

ber

of

tree

s m

ay b

e u

pro

ote

d.

R

ice

and

co

rn c

rop

s m

ay s

uff

er

hea

vy lo

sses

.

Maj

ori

ty o

f al

l n

ipa

and

co

gon

ho

use

s m

ay b

e u

nro

ofe

d o

r d

estr

oye

d a

nd

th

ere

may

be

con

sid

erab

le d

amag

e to

str

uct

ure

s o

f li

ght

to m

ediu

m

con

stru

ctio

n.

T

her

e m

ay b

e w

ides

pre

ad d

isru

pti

on

o

f el

ectr

ical

po

wer

an

d

com

mu

nic

atio

n s

ervi

ces.

In g

ener

al, m

od

erat

e to

hea

vy

dam

age

may

be

exp

erie

nce

d,

par

ticu

larl

y in

th

e ag

ricu

ltu

ral

and

in

du

stri

al s

ecto

rs.

ME

TE

OR

OL

OG

ICA

L

CO

ND

ITIO

NS

A t

rop

ical

cyc

lon

e w

ill

affe

ct t

he

loca

lity

wit

h

win

d s

pee

ds

of

10

0-1

85

k

ph

in a

t le

ast

18

ho

urs

PU

BL

IC

STO

RM

W

AR

NIN

G

SIG

NA

L

3

of 43

PR

EC

AU

TIO

NA

RY

ME

ASU

RE

S

T

he

situ

atio

n is

po

ten

tial

ly v

ery

des

tru

ctiv

e to

th

e co

mm

un

ity.

All

tra

vels

an

d o

utd

oo

r ac

tivi

ties

sh

ou

ld b

e ca

nce

lled

.

Eva

cuat

ion

to

saf

er s

hel

ters

sh

ou

ld

hav

e b

een

co

mp

lete

d s

ince

it m

ay b

e to

o la

te u

nd

er t

his

sit

uat

ion

.

Wit

h P

SWS

#4

, th

e lo

cali

ty is

ver

y li

kel

y to

be

hit

dir

ectl

y b

y th

e ey

e o

f th

e ty

ph

oo

n. A

s th

e ey

e o

f th

e ty

ph

oo

n

app

roac

hes

, th

e w

eath

er w

ill

con

tin

uo

usl

y w

ors

en w

ith

th

e w

ind

s in

crea

sin

g to

its

stro

nge

st c

om

ing

gen

eral

ly f

rom

th

e n

ort

h. T

hen

a

sud

den

imp

rove

men

t o

f th

e w

eath

er

wit

h li

ght

win

ds

(a lu

ll)

wil

l b

e ex

per

ien

ced

. Th

is m

ean

s th

at t

he

eye

of

the

typ

ho

on

is o

ver

the

loca

lity

. Th

is

imp

rove

d w

eath

er m

ay la

st f

or

on

e to

tw

o h

ou

rs d

epen

din

g o

n t

he

dia

met

er

of

the

eye

and

th

e sp

eed

of

mo

vem

ent.

A

s th

e ey

e m

ove

s o

ut

of

the

loca

lity

, th

e w

ors

t w

eath

er e

xper

ien

ced

bef

ore

th

e lu

ll w

ill

sud

den

ly c

om

men

ce. T

his

tim

e th

e ve

ry s

tro

ng

win

ds

wil

l co

me

gen

eral

ly f

rom

th

e so

uth

.

Th

e d

isas

ter

coo

rdin

atin

g co

un

cils

co

nce

rned

an

d o

ther

dis

aste

r re

spo

nse

o

rgan

izat

ion

s ar

e n

ow

fu

lly

resp

on

din

g to

em

erge

nci

es a

nd

in f

ull

rea

din

ess

to

imm

edia

tely

res

po

nd

to

po

ssib

le

cala

mit

y

IMP

AC

T O

F T

HE

WIN

DS

C

oco

nu

t p

lan

tati

on

may

su

ffer

ex

ten

sive

dam

age.

Man

y la

rge

tree

s m

ay b

e u

pro

ote

d.

R

ice

and

co

rn p

lan

tati

on

may

su

ffer

se

vere

loss

es.

M

ost

res

iden

tial

an

d in

stit

uti

on

al

bu

ild

ings

of

mix

ed c

on

stru

ctio

n m

ay

be

seve

rely

dam

aged

.

Ele

ctri

cal

po

wer

dis

trib

uti

on

an

d

com

mu

nic

atio

n s

ervi

ces

may

be

seve

rely

dis

rup

ted

.

In t

he

ove

rall

, dam

age

to a

ffec

ted

co

mm

un

itie

s ca

n b

e ve

ry h

eavy

.

ME

TE

OR

OL

OG

ICA

L

CO

ND

ITIO

NS

A t

rop

ical

cyc

lon

e w

ill

affe

ct t

he

loca

lity

wit

h

win

d s

pee

ds

of

mo

re

than

18

5 k

ph

in a

t le

ast

24

ho

urs

PU

BL

IC

STO

RM

W

AR

NIN

G

SIG

NA

L

4

of 43

6. Rainfall and Rate of Rainfall

The amount of rainfall and the rate of rainfall are measured in terms of

how much rain is collected by a rain gauge. The units of measurement are either

in mm (millimeter) or in (inches) of rainfall. One type of rain gauge that

measures rain is called the tipping bucket. This rain gauge is actually composed

of two “buckets” placed side by side. When one of the buckets is filled, it tips, and

the other bucket starts to collect the rain. When it fills, it tips, and the previous

bucket then starts to collect the rain. The amount of rain and the rate of rainfall

are obtained by counting how many times the bucket tips over a certain period

of time. A schematic of the tipping bucket is shown below.

Figure 9. (Left) An actual tipping bucket on a rain gauge. (Middle) Schematic of the parts of the

rain gauge. (Right) Description of how the tipping bucket works.

C. What are the factors that contribute to weather and climate?

1. The shape of our planet

We know that the heat coming from the Sun affects us more on the

equator than in the North poles. This is because of the spherical shape of our

planet. The heat coming from the sun affects the people in the equator more than

the animals in the North and South poles. If you think about it, we feel the cool

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shade of trees when we are beneath its leaves. And if we step out of its shade, we

can immediately feel the effect of the scorching sun. Imagine the temperature

difference then between the equator and the North pole (or South pole). It is no

wonder that ice readily forms in the geographic poles, since the temperature

there can easily be much, much lower than the temperature at the equator – even

below 0°C! This effect becomes more pronounced if we take into account the fact

that the shape of the Earth is not precisely spherical. It is, in fact, oblate spheroid

– the equator is more pointed in compared to the North and South poles.

2. Tilting of the Earth’s axis

A more realistic picture would appear if we include the tilting of the

Earth’s axis. The Earth’s axis is tilted by about 23.5°. This means that during the

months of April and May, when the axis is tilted towards the sun (see figure

below), the Philippines should feel the heat of the sun more, since it is located

above the equator. During the months of December and January, when the axis is

tilted away from the sun, the Philippines should feel the heat of the sun less.

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Figure 11. The movement of the Earth around the Sun also contributes to the variations in

temperature on the surface of the Earth.

3. Earth’s rotation around the Sun

Our climate in a particular location is associated with the movement of

the earth around the sun and its position relative to the equator (or geographic

poles). The effect of the movement of the Earth around the Sun results to this

temperature difference.

of 43

Figure 12. Temperature variation on the surface of the Earth with respect to a year’s time.

A more accurate picture would also appear if we take into account that

the path of the orbit of the Earth around the sun is actually oval-shaped and not

circular. This means that

This temperature variation becomes more pronounced if we include the

fact that the shape of the orbit of the Earth around the sun is elliptical. Our planet

is farthest from the sun during the month of December, while it is closest to the

sun during the month of May. During December, the Earth is tilted away from the

sun and the temperature in the Philippines becomes relatively colder. On the

other hand, during June, the Earth is tilted towards the sun and the temperature

in the Philippines becomes relatively warmer.

4. Rotation of the Earth about its own axis

The rotation of our planet about its own axis causes the air above and

below the equator to move in certain directions. Winds above the equator rotate

clockwise, while winds below the equator rotate counterclockwise. This wind

movement as a result of the earth’s rotation is called the Coriolis effect.

5. Land mass

The Coriolis effect describes the wind movement as a result of the Earth’s

rotation about its own axis. However, the presence of land disturbs this rotation

and causes the wind to lose energy and speed and to change direction. This

further causes wind movement that becomes chaotic and impossible to predict

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with high accuracy. Thus, most predictions of the movement of storms is

localized and short-term.

Figure 13. Combined effect on wind movement of the Coriolis effect and land

mass.

6. Human Factors or Anthropogenic

Anthropogenic effects are man-made effects due to the increasing

demand for energy and power. The by-products of these effects contribute to

increased amounts of greenhouse gases that trap more heat within the Earth’s

lower atmosphere. This is called the greenhouse effect. The figure below shows

the various anthropogenic sources that significantly contribute to the

greenhouse effect.

of 43

Figure 14. (Left) Greenhouse gases that are present in our atmosphere. (Right) Various sources

of greenhouse gases and the extent of its contribution to the greenhouse effect.

VI. Further Reading & References

http://www.severe-weather-fan.com/types-of-thunderstorms.html

http://http://www.davisnet.com

http://kidlat.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/genmet/psws.html

http://www.gov.ph/images/uploads/rainfall-english.jpg

of 43

Module 1C: Climate Change and Disasters

Prepared by: Dymphna N. Javier

Department of Physical Sciences University of the Philippines Baguio

I. Introduction

This module provides facts and information about the science of climate change, the

available data and information that support it; how climate change can affects us, and why we

must be concerned about it.

II. Learning objective

After the presentation of the module, participants are expected to understand further

the cause and effects of climate change, the climate scenario for the Philippines, and the links

between climate change and disasters.

III. Methodology: Lecture

IV. Materials needed: DLP, Laser pointer, laptop

V. Time required: 45 minutes

VI. Content

A. The Climate system

Climate pertains to the state of the atmosphere over a long period of time. Its elements

include temperature, pressure, humidity, wind speed, type of clouds, type and amount of

precipitation, among others. It is a complex, interactive system involving the atmosphere, land

surface, snow and ice, bodies of water, and living things (IPCC, 2007).

of 43

Fig. 1. The Climate system (IPCC, 2007)

B. Climate change

The IPCC (2007) defines climate change as any change in climate over time, whether due

to natural variability or as a result of human activity. The United Nations Framework

Convention for Climate Change, on the other hand, defines it as a change of climate which is

attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global

atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable

time periods (UNFCCC, 20xx).

There are natural causes of climate change: changes in Earth’s motions, changes in solar

output, changes in atmospheric composition (trace gas, dust etc.), changes in ocean circulation,

changes in landmass distribution.

Scientific studies indicate that the current ongoing change in climate is due to human

activities. These include burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, agriculture and fertilizer use, and

many others.

of 43

Fig. 2. The unprecedented rise in greenhouse gases carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane (IPCC, 2007)

Three major evidences of climate change are: increasing global average air and ocean

temperatures, rising global means sea level, widespread melting of snow and ice (IPCC, 2007).

of 43

Fig. 3. Evidences of climate change (IPCC, 2007)

For the Philippines, PAGASA (2011) has documented that temperature for the period

1951-2010 has increased by 0.648oC during the period, a 0.0108oC increase per year

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Fig. 4. Temperature variation for the period 1951-2010 (PAGASA)

C. Climate scenario for the Philippines and CAR

PAGASA (2011) predicts that :

• Mean temperature rise will range between 0.9oC to 1.1oC by the year 2020 and 1.8-2.2oC

by 2050.

• The number of days with maximum temperature exceeding 35oC will increase in 2020

and 2050.

• The dry season months from March to May are expected to become drier and the wet

season months from June to November are projected to become wetter (PAGASA, 2010).

• There will be 0.9-63% increase in rainfall for Luzon provinces. The highest increase in

rainfall during SW monsoon likely in Region I (44%) and CAR (29%).

• There is also projected increase in the frequency and/or magnitude of extreme events of

tropical cyclones, heavy rainfall, drought and temperature fluctuations.

D. Impacts

There are a number of potentially damaging effects of the warming trend in climate:

• With every 1oC rise in temperature, the water holding capacity of the

atmosphere increases by 7% (IPCC, 2007). A warmer atmosphere can hold more

water vapor which can generate more frequent and severe storms. The

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frequency of storm surge, flood, rainfall-induced landslides, and lahars will

therefore likely increase. Warmer climate can increase risks of both drought and

floods at different times and places. The extreme weather events that have

occurred in recent time have spawned the 2001 floods in City Camp Lagoon, the

2004 REINA (Real, Infanta, Gen. Nakar in Quezon province) floods, the 2006

Albay lahars, the 2009 Typhoon Pepeng landslides, and the 2010 storm surges.

This could also lead to accelerated erosion which can lead to forest loss.

Fig. 5. Landslide in Cresencia village, Baguio City (D. Javier)

The average number of tropical cylones that form in the Philippine area of responsibility

in September and October normally number less than three. But in 2009, there were four in

each of these months.

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Fig. 6. Four storms formed in the Philippine area of responsibility in September and then again in October, 2009 (PAGASA)

• A one degree rise in temperature can decrease crop yield by 10% (Villarin and Narisma,

2010). A warmer climate thus can potentially compromise food security. From 1970 to

1990, 82.4 percent of total Philippine rice losses were attributed to typhoons, floods,

and droughts (Lansigan et al., 2000 in Technical Primer on Climate Change in the

Philippines By the Manila Observatory for the Congressional Commission on Science &

Technology and Engineering (COMSTE) ).

• Increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels could result in acidification of ocean waters

and harm corals.and other marine organisms. High amounts of this greenhouse gas can

result in stronger El Niño events which have been associated with reduced rice

production, fish kills, more deaths of giant clams, and severe red tide events.

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• Coastal communities could experience more floods as global sea levels rise due to

warming and also due to melting of glaciers. A PAGASA-led study calculate that a 1-

meter rise in 2025 could inundate more than 5,000 hectares and displace more than 2

million people in metro Manila (Perez et al, 1999 in Manila Observatory, 2010). Land

subsidence due to groundwater extraction from wells could further worsen the threat of

floods. Losing coastal areas could have adverse effects on ecosystems, agriculture and

other resources.

Fig. 7. Effect of El Niño on palay production (De Guzman, 2010)

• Data shows a strong positive correlation between dengue cases and rainfall. More

frequent and intense rainfall can also result in the rise of diseases such as diarrhea and

malaria.

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Fig. 8. Association between rainfall and dengue cases in the National Capital Region (Amadore, 2005)

E. Natural hazards and their cost

Located in the Circum-Pacific Ring of Fire and Earthquake belt, the Philippines also

needs to prepare against earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The Philippines is ranked 3rd

highest at risk to natural disasters (Beck et al., 2012).

The National Disaster Risk reduction and management council estimates that 0.5% of

the country’s GDP or PhP 20 billion is lost annually to disasters. In 2009, more than PhP 27

billion worth of damages was reported after Typhoon Pepeng alone. These resources have

competed with those allocated to provide more support for basic services, education, livelihood,

development infrastructure and others.

Facing the challenges posed by climate change and disaster risk reduction need to be

integrated in the road map to sustainable development.

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Fig. 9. Earthquake generators and volcanoes in the Philippines (Solidum, 2007)

F. What can be done?

• Study the issue.

• Share the information with others.

• Forge partnerships.

• Formulate science-based CCA and DRRM plans.

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VII. References

Amadore, Leoncio A., 2005. Crisis or Opportunity: Climate change impacts and the Philippines. 56p. http://www.scribd.com/doc/32498876/Climate-Change-Impacts-and-the-Philippines. Accessed 15 October 2012.

Beck, Michael W., Shepard, Christine C., Birkmann, J., Rhyner,J., Welle, T., Witting, M., Wolfertz,

J., Martens, J., Maurer, M., Mucke, P., Radtke, P., Radtke, K., 2012. WorlRiskReport 2012, 68p. http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/WRR_2012_en_online150.pdf. Accessed 15 October 2012

De Guzman, Rosalina G., 2010. Impacts of drought in the Philippines. Powerpoint presentation

in the International Workshop on Drought and Extreme Temperatures: Preparedness and Management for Sustainable Agriculture, Forestry

IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change), 2007a: Summary for Policymakers. In:

Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Solomon, S., D. Qin, M. Manning,Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K.B. Averyt, M.Tignor and H.L. Miller (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, 151p.

IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change), 2007b: Climate Change 2007: Synthesis

Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Core Writing Team, Pachauri, R.K and Reisinger, A. (eds.)]. IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland, 104 pp.

Manila Observatory, 2010. Technical Primer on Climate Change in the Philippines by the Manila

Observatory for the Congressional Commission on Science & Technology and Engineering –COMSTE. Website? Accessed 11 July 2011

PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration),

2011.Climate Change in the Philippines, 85p. http://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph. Accessed 2 May 2012

Solidum, Renato U., 2007. Geolologic hazards and disaster reduction efforts in the Philippines.

Powerpoint presentation in the Asa-pacific advanced network meetingJjanuary 22-26, 2007, Accessed 17 June 2013.

Villarin, Jose Ramon T. and Narisma, Gemma Teresa, T, 2011.Endangered Climate. In Stellar

origins, human ways: readings in Science, Technology and Society, pp.211-230. Ateneo de Manila University Press.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/32498876/Climate-Change-Impacts-and-the-Philippines

http://www.scribd.com/doc/32498876/Climate-Change-Impacts-and-the-Philippines

http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/WRR_2012_en_online150.pdf

http://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/

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Module 1D: The Social Dimensions of Climate Change

Prepared by:

Raymundo D. Rovillos

Department of History and Philosophy

College of Social Sciences


I. Introduction

Welcome to this learning session on “The Social Dimensions of Climate Change.”

In the previous session, we have learned about the physical and biological

dimensions (causes and effects) of climate change. We have realized that climate

change is REAL-- it has adversely affected us and will continue to affect the whole

mother earth. In this session, we shall focus on the social dimensions of climate change.

This is in recognition of the fact that climate change is largely a result of our (human

beings’) interaction with the natural/physical environment. We cannot separate human

activities from nature since we are intricately related to it through our web of life.

Unfortunately, this social-environmental interaction and its impacts are not fully

acknowledged by many of us, humans, because we have been too pre-occupied with our

own survival, about our control/mastery over nature in the name of economic

progress/growth. Therefore, we need to seriously reflect on our roles in climate

change, as well as how we can contribute towards climate change mitigation and

adaptation.

II. Objectives

At the end of this learning session, participants should have:

1. identified the effects of climate change on your community, especially the people;

2. understood the concepts of vulnerability, social resilience, mitigation, etc.

3. understood the role (contributions) of human beings tothe phenomenon of

climate change;

4. learned how humans (particularly the participants) can contribute towards

mitigating and adapting to climate change.

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III. Methodology: lecture and workshop

IV. Materials and equipment needed:

Newspaper clippings on the typhoons Pepeng and Ondoy in 2010 (on Baguio

and Benguet)

Kraft paper

Masking tape

LCD and LCD projector

V. Duration: 3 hours

VI. Content

A. Activity: Who are most affected? (One hour)

Instructions:

1. Form groups of 5 to 8 individuals, preferably based on common places

(barangay, municipality or province);

2. Before you are newspaper clippings on the aftermath of typhoons Pepeng and

Ondoy in 2010, in order to help you recall some facts about the two disasters;

3. After reading all the news items, please answer the following questions and

discuss them as a group:

3.a. What areas were severely affected by the typhoons? Describe these areas.

3.b. Who are most affected by the typhoons? Characterize them according to

their socio-economic status, ethnicity, gender, etc.

3.c. How did the communities affected by the typhoons cope during and after the

disasters?

4. Assign a reporter for the group.

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B. Plenary Discussion: Presentation of results of group activity (30 minutes)

Towards the end of this plenary discussion:

1. Point out common experiences, but also identify distinct ones; 2. Connect/relate the experiences to the following key concepts:

Vulnerability Resilience Adaptation Mitigation These key concepts are elaborated in the lecture that follows.

C. Lecture: “The Social Dimensions of Climate Change” (One hour)

See attached power point presentation on this lecture.

The lecture shall highlight the following points:

1. Humans are disproportionately affected by climate change: that is, southern

nations are more severely affected than northern nations; the poor are more

vulnerable than the rich; and women are more likely to suffer more than

men, etc. Hence, climate change is very much a social justice concern/issue.

2. Climate change is also severely affecting fragile and degraded ecosystems and

those areas that are already hazardous geologically, even before the onset of

Climate Change.

3. Climate change is largely caused by human activities (anthropogenic), and by

development programs and projects that are high in carbon emission,

destructive of the environment in general and therefore unsustainable.

4. Humans can still mitigate and adapt to climate change by reducing carbon

emission: how? By adopting sustainable practices such as renewable energy,

sustainable agriculture, waste-segregation, reforestation, etc.

5. Much of what we can do to reverse the tide of climate change is about

CHANGING our behavior, values and ideas about what is “good life.”

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D. Open Forum (15-20 minutes)

E. Evaluation (let’s see how much you have learned)

1. Why is climate change a social justice concern?

2. Why is climate change going to expose the already vulnerable groups/sectors to

greater vulnerabilities?

3. Why are human activities greatly contributing to climate change?

4. What can you do to mitigate or adapt to climate change?

F. Synthesis (15 minutes)

Thank you for your active participation.

module 1: understanding climate change contents

Documents