Many people think that the deadly effects of climate change are in the future, but the onslaught has already begun. The Philippines is being hit particularly hard; in 2020, more than 20 tropical cyclones, including several typhoons, ravaged our homeland.
It’s only going to get worse.
The Philippines has always been exceptionally vulnerable to natural disasters. Between 1997 and 2016, more than 23,000 people in the Philippines died due to natural hazards including earthquakes, floods, and typhoons. As the planet grows warmer, such catastrophic weather events are becoming even stronger and occurring with more frequency.
These weather events are lethal in more ways than one and can contribute to the spread of infection and disease. Climate change is already affecting agriculture in the Philippines, with droughts and increased rainfall destroying crops. In a nation where an estimated two-thirds of households already face food insecurity, a decrease in food production combined with the extensive property damage from storms will have even more devastating consequences in the future.
Experts believe that by 2030 the damage done to the planet will be irreversible. The time to take action is NOW. We must not only take steps in our own homes to lead a more sustainable lifestyle but also pressure governments and corporations to take this threat seriously and to work to combat climate change.
Our future depends on it.
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