Global Warming

One of the most obvious effects of Global warming is famine and the people to suffer more of it are the children, the sins of the elders passed on to the innocent. The photo that won the Pulitzer Prize in 1994 was taken by Kevin Carter, in his twisted mind (see this article for more info about the photographer), depicts a horrifying scenario of global warming and poverty put together in one location, in this case, Africa. The same time of year that the scientific organizations like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other scientist groups noticed an alarming and sudden change of the temperature of the earth.Currently every one of the last 13 years (1994-2006) is one of the warmest 17 on record These 17 warmest years could be the warmest years for the last several thousand years according to the Temperature record, not just since 1880. The most recent data is the most accurate. (Temperature record since 1880 – wikipedia).

An Inconvenient Truth

Most people know about the greenhouse effect as it has been taught in schools for more than a decade already, global warming and its perceived devastating effects have only become apparent at the turn of the century. Al Gore, former Vice President of the United States, with the support of the majority of world’s scientists, in his documentary, An Inconvenient Truth (that won him an Oscar’s award) postulated that the alarming rise of the temperature is due to anthropogenic factors such as the rise of greenhouse gases, devastation of the forests and the increase of the human population. It called for the collaboration of the scientific, political authorities and every single individual around the world to help in the stopping of an imminent disaster which already reared its head in the face of Katrina, the disappearance of great lakes, record breaking famine and the rise of the level. Although a few know about this, the Kyoto protocol was opened for signature during December 11, 1997. There were already a number of countries who acknowledged the danger that the climate change posed to mankind and nature. There are already signatories and many have joined recently.
Sadly, the United States, China, Australia and the Philippines are not one of them. An article about the most recent G8 summit indicates the concomitance of the Bush administration against global warming; when it comes to addressing climate change, the U.S. and Europe are like two cars racing toward each other in a game of chicken, according to Hans Joachim Schnellhuber, an adviser on climate issues to German Chancellor Angela Merkel. That may be overstating the case. But there’s little chance that this week’s G8 summit at the German seaside resort of Heiligendamm will resolve fundamental differences between the Bush Administration and E.U. countries led by Germany over how to combat global warming. (Europe vs. Bush on Global Warming – By ANDREW PURVIS/BERLIN)

The Philippines, being one of the world’s “biologically rich” countries has a lot to loose if she does not act now. In a research conducted by the Climatic Research Unit (CRU), outlines the eminent destruction of one of it marine parks classified as a World Heritage site, the Tubbataha Reef Marine Park in Sulu Sea near Puerto Princessa city, it also noted significant sea-level rise in the Philippines. To a tourism dependent economy, this is not good news. If the situation would get worst, further coral bleaching could take away the livelihood of fisherman.

Today, one of the numerous species on earth that are under the brink of extinction is the polar bear. Because of global warming, the ice glaciers start melting; the distance of travel in between glaciers is greatly increased making it very difficult for the bear to find food as their travel during food hunting is dependent on the location of the glaciers. We may not have a direct relationship with the polar bears and their extinction may have an immediate impact on our existence but the condition of the Polar bears in the planet serves as an indicator of the health of the planet.

All across the world, in every kind of environment and region known to man, increasingly dangerous weather patterns and devastating storms are abruptly putting an end to the long-running debate over whether or not climate change is real. Not only is it real, it’s here, and its effects are giving rise to a frighteningly new global phenomenon: the man-made natural disaster. - Barack Obama

This planet is dying and there is something that we can do about it. It is not yet too late.