|
DENR-1 leads info drive for climate change |
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 1 embarks on an intensified information campaign on Climate Change as it chairs the Climate Change Office (CCO) under the office of the DENR Secretary. The CCO serves as the coordinating mechanism internally among DENR offices and externally with other Non Government Organizations (NGOs), Government Organizations (GOs) and Local Government Units (LGUs) in rationalizing development and implementing programs and policies on Climate Change. To a great extent, Information Education and Communication (IEC) play a major role in any program to win public support and encourage action. Carrying Capacity Assessment of Protected Areas for Eco-Tourism & Sustainable Development |
Supportive to this, the Ecosystems Research and Development Service (ERDS) under the leadership of Regional Technical Director Lourdes P. Calacal, Ph.D. is implementing banner programs basically with the purpose of generating research based knowledge and information that will be popularized and disseminated for the general public. They are challenged to come up with the production of information packages on coping mechanisms, adaptation measurers and mitigation measures related to Climate Change. These programs include the following:(1) Vulnerability assessment of the Lower Agno River Basin (2) Determination of carrying capacity of the Paoay Lake (3) Rehabilitation and ecological restoration of marginal and degraded seascape, and (4) Development of strategies for the production of quality planting materials. Moreover, there are also special projects to wit: Bio-intensive Gardening (BIG) in La Union; Mangrove Development Program in La Union; and S&T on Bamboo production cum Agroforestry. Relative to the intensified information campaign on Climate change, practically all of the banner and non banner programs being implemented by the research Service is complemented with trainings and reading materials,These information materials correlate the importance of the different activities of each project to the mitigation measures and coping mechanisms to climate change. Such environment-friendly technologies as Organic Farming, Ecological Solid Waste Management, Vermi-composting and crop combination in Agroforestry are being promoted for adoption of our different clienteles. Climate change is a global environmental concern. It is characterized by changing rainfall pattern, more flooding, massive erosion/landslide, longer drier periods during summer, heat and cold waves as a result of human activity. With the advent of industrialization and population growth, more greenhouse gases are tremendously pumped in the atmosphere making earth more vulnerable to potential impacts ranging from severe drought and heavy downpours to ocean, spread of vector-borne diseases among others, These greenhouse gases such as carbon, methane, Chloroflourocarbons (CFCs) are trapped in the atmosphere, and if nothing is done, it will have negative impacts on health, agriculture and food security, and on biological diversity and ecosystems. In Agriculture, significant change in weather and climate directly affects the growth of crops and may result to low yield. When there is too little or too much water (rainfall) during growing seasons, agricultural productivity will suffer affecting food security. In health, there will be increase in health problems and death due to greater frequency and severity of heat waves and other extreme weather events. Changes in weather pattern can lead to vector-borne diseases like the cases of swine flu, ebola virus among others, On biological diversity, changes in weather patterns will alter ocean circulation and wave patterns affecting biological productivity, nutrient availability and marine ecological function. Sea level may inundate and erode coastal areas increasing flooding and saltwater intrusion and extreme weather events such as high tides, storm surges and tsunamis. The global concern for climate change calls for concerted efforts to minimize its adverse impact. The Research Sector hopes to reach a wider range of audience who will adopt. the Environment and Natural Resources technologies for the ultimate goal of improving their lives and the environment in general. Climate change is really a threat and a big problem but there are many little ways we can do to make a difference. We can do our part to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that we put in the atmosphere. Let’s act now. (TTD-ERDS)
|
