“A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers, but borrowed from his children.” — John James Audubon, Wildlife Artist/Author

MANILA, Philippines — Our previous columns certainly “hit-the-spot” by calling public attention to mankind’s “modern” enemies in the Asia-Pacific region. The most deadly are not war or armed conflicts but Nature’s ravages resulting in prolonged inundation, endemic diseases, devastation of habitats, connectivity disruptions, economic damage, deprivation of basic needs, and overall human suffering and death. These ever-present threats have been in local and international frontpages/primetime as much as episodes of the impeachment “telenovela.”

The outcome of the trial of the Chief Justice – assuming it is carried out without undue delay, based on the merits, and in accordance with the rule of law and the Constitution – win or lose – will not provide succor to poor hungry people or protection to those in the way of man-made calamities and environmental dangers.

Recently, FVR keynoted the “Global Conference on Land-Ocean Connections (GLOC)” organized by the UN Environment Programme and hosted by the Philippines thru the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. In spite of being a non-working official holiday in celebration of Chinese New Year, GLOC was convened last 23 January, if only to dramatize Nature’s wrath against unprepared people.

The Philippines and climate change

Despite our “interesting times” (impeachment, divisive politics, zigzag economy, corruption cases, etc.), DENR endeavored to host GLOC with some 1,000 officials (including ministers), experts and academics from 45 countries in attendance – because our archipelagic country has a crucial stake in the future of coastal/island communities.

Our vast coastal and marine areas are among the richest and most biologically diverse worldwide. But, in recent times, population pressure, abusive practices, and climate change have caused tremendous deterioration on the carrying capacity of our 7,107 islands.

The once-bountiful, but ever-beloved, Philippines is threatened with pollution and environmental degradation, deterioration of water quality, destruction of fragile marine habitats, and extinction of species.

We Filipinos – like much of the rest of humankind – are now more aware that the threat of climate change is indeed real and cruel.

Natural calamities are severely affecting our agriculture, sea levels, water resources, health, habitats, and industry, among others. Every scientific indicator suggests climate change is accelerating – and that all humankind is in a global race to save our little Planet Earth.

In the UN ranking of “national vulnerability” to climate change, the Philippines ranks third – followed closely by other Southeast Asian States: East Timor (ranked seventh) and Cambodia (ranked ninth). Tragically, we are also the world’s topnotcher in the “2011 UN Natural Disaster List.”

REMEMBER TYPHOONS ONDOY, PEPENG, AND SENDONG?  Not only is our country highly vulnerable to natural hazards. Again and again, as in the recent past, we Filipinos have been struck by catastrophes caused by our wanton neglect of the environment.

Natural hazards are compounded by man-made ecological disasters – among them atmospheric pollution, illegal deforestation, mindless land use, and indiscriminate mining.

Global program to protect the marine environment

In 1995, 108 governments – meeting in Washington, DC – adopted the “Global Program of Action (GPA) for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities.”

Since that “Washington Declaration” on the marine environment, the GPA has been one of the most successful initiatives of the UN Environment Programme.

The GPA is the only global program that deals explicitly with the linkages among freshwater, coastal, marine environments, and population. It targets major threats to the health, productivity, and bio-diversity of the marine and coastal environment resulting from human activities on land, and pursues an integrated, multi-sectoral approach based on actions at the local, national, regional, and global levels.

Like other archipelagic states, we of the Philippines have worked more than most in the UN framework – particularly on cooperative programs to deal with specific environmental sectors like those on which human activity impacts with ever greater force and velocity.

The most common of these are household, industrial, agricultural wastes and contaminants – garbage, sewage,  and run-off toxics, invading streams, rivers, and estuaries – which reduce once pristine coasts to stagnant pools of pollution.

Land-ocean connections; The Coral Triangle

During these past 15 years, implementation of the GPA has gone through two processes of intergovernmental review – in Montreal in 2001 and in Beijing in 2006.

The 2012 Manila GLOC was a two-day gathering of policy-makers, scientists, and NGOs meant to precede the “Third Inter-Governmental Review” that will take place in Rio de Janeiro this year, as part of the 20th Anniversary Commemoration of the 1992 UN “Earth Summit” in Brazil.

Output from the Manila GLOC will be used as recommendations for the Third Inter-Governmental Review on priority themes such as water quality (nutrients/wastewater), marine litter,; and integrated coastal zone management at regional, national, and sub-national levels.

The Philippines is also forging environmental partnerships with neighbor countries. Right now, we’re deeply involved in the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI). This is a six-country partnership organized to protect a wide ocean area encompassed by portions of Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, and the Philippines.

The “Coral Triangle” is believed to be the inner core of the global center of marine biodiversity. It apparently has reef species resilient to changes in water temperature – a key survival trait in our time of global warming.

As a start, the CTI countries have designated priority seascapes as the geographic focus of sustainable marine management.

The importance of local initiatives

The 2006 Beijing Conference shifted the strategic approach to environmental issues from international to national to local-level action programs, and made leaders realize that global threats to the environment are best confronted by local actions on the initiatives of people on the ground – by residents within risk areas who know the problems best, and whose lives the threats affect most gravely.

In this community-based approach, LGUs play the key role – in regulating the careful extraction of coastal resources and in enforcing environmental laws.

Further reflecting the major strategic change of the Beijing Declaration, LGUs have engaged in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) programs for the development of technology for waste treatment and sanitary landfills, according to DENR.

Meanwhile, under the “Adopt-A-Estero” Program, local executives and civil society groups have signed some 254 agreements to clean up creeks, streams, rivers, and other Metro Manila waterways.

DENR has also set up “Water Quality Management Areas” in coordination with cities/municipalities and their partner-industries to deal expeditiously with issues of water quality and pollution management.

Our travel/tourist industry is being focused on eco-tourism, as a launch pad for businesses to invest in “green” development. One of our top tourist attractions – the underground river in Palawan – has been recognized as one of the “World’s Seven New Wonders of Nature.”

DENR reports that our LGUs and private partners have signed 12 separate agreements for cleaning up Manila Bay and its upstream tributaries.

Harmonizing environmental initiatives

To summarize: There is a lot for all of us to do on behalf of our fragile, one-and-only Mother Earth. The Global Programme of Action for 2012-2016 challenges our separate nations to harmonize their initiatives and actions at local and national levels.

Let us remember: The human being is 72.8% water. This simple anatomical fact provides the underlying reason why the UN, Governments, and concerned citizens like you and me must put together our best efforts towards a better future. It is not difficult to extend that metaphor to deepen our understanding of our Planet. Posit this simple analogy: if 72.8% of your body is in trouble, then there is much to be treated and cured immediately. It only illumines a harsh truth – the protection of our oceans, seas, bodies of water, and coastal communities is our inescapable duty for survival.

There are institutional reforms to legislate, more efficient technologies to develop and adopt, financial resources to raise, and dedicated humanpower to train – all to be put in the service of the environment.

The way will be long and hard; but the rewards will be great, and among them will be the awesome sight of friendly whale sharks feeding on plankton close to sprawling mangroves, and dark nights lighted up by fireflies.

Whatever be our shared endeavors, we must ensure that these are undertaken through shared responsibilities, shared burdens, shared values, and shared benefits toward a higher quality of life for all.

Of what use can one’s wealth be in a dying Earth? “Green” is better than “Greed.” The highest message to all comes from God: “For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” (Matthew 16:26).

THIS IS THE SUPREME CHALLENGE FOR US FILIPINOS – ESPECIALLY IN MALACAÑANG, CONGRESS, AND THE JUDICIARY – IN THE YEAR OF THE WATER DRAGON!

Please send any comments to fvr@rpdev.org. Copies of articles are available at www.rpdev.org.