UN Habitat’s Pilot City in Climate Change

          Through intensive studies and thorough discussions, the international community especially the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has established that a new climate is up-and-coming. In an urbanizing world, cities are both the cause of, and most vulnerable to climate change.

         Philippines has been a party and signatory to different agreements like the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Many measures and efforts have been undertaken in the national level to embrace the opportunities and increase resilience of the emerging climate’s negative impacts.

         The United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN Habitat) has selected Sorsogon City as one of the pilot cities in the world that will demonstrate a Climate Change Resilient City within three years. The other cities are: Kampala in Uganda, Esmeraldas in Ecuador and Maputo in Mozambique.

         Sorsogon City is very vulnerable to the impacts of climate change considering its location which is in the typhoon belt of the country and at the same time surrounded by two bodies of water, the Pacific Ocean and South China Sea. During the Vulnerability Assessment conducted last December 2, 2008.  it was found out that climatic impacts such as sea level rise, strong tropical cyclones, temperature change and increased precipitation will soon to happen if adaptation and mitigation process will not be considered.

         As the project started last September with the formation of Sorsogon City’s Technical Working Group, many activities have been accomplished. To name a few are the Stakeholder’s Vulnerability Assessment last December 2, 2008; Climate Change Workshop of City Employees and City Scholars last February 20-21, 2009; City Mayor Leovic R. Dioneda, speaker in the World Urban Forum held in Nanjing, China on November 3-6, 2008 and on the Launching of Cities in Climate Change Initiatives in Oslo Norway, March 16-18, 2009. Several information campaigns and community consultations are being done especially in radio, television, academes and barangays. Tintin Laban

STUDENTS’ AWARENESS ON GLOBAL WARMING …… What do they say…???

 Sorsogon City –  Recently the City Public Information Office conducted a survey on high school students from prestigious schools in the city proper of Sorsogon, basically to measure the level of awareness of the respondents on global warming.

             Three questions were raised to test the students’ knowledge about global warming.

            Here are the answers on the given questions by some of the respondents.

 What do you understand about global warming? 

1.       Global warming is the destruction of the ozone layer brought by the green house gasses from factories, vehicles, garbage and many others.    Kathleen Lausingco

2.       Global Warming is caused by green house gasses trapped in the atmosphere which destroy the ozone layer. Ryan Barrameda

3.       Global Warming is the depleting of the ozone layer. Ozone layer absorbs and regulates the ultra violet rays from the sun. Shera Ann Belmonte

In your own capacity, what will you do to prevent global warming? 

1.      Plant more trees and maintain clean surroundings.    Vincent Paul Vidal

2.      Stop throwing garbage everywhere. Stop burning wastes. Danea Rose Garlan

3.      Stop burning plastics and other related products that may destroy the ozone layer. Cristine Destacamento

 What do you like the city government to do? 

1.       The City Government must spearhead more comprehensive tree planting activities especially the areas prone to floods and landslide. Angelo Ray Duazo

2.       The city Government should:

·         Improve the implementation of solid waste management program.

·         Sponsors seminars on how to control global warming.

·         Sponsors programs on radio and television that will educate people on global warming.

·         Introduce environmental programs that will encourage the youth to participate especially on global warming.

3.       The City Government should be the role model in the implementation of programs that protect our environment. Lourdes Diaz

                        The vast knowledge on global warming possessed by the students absolutely will help our community and the city government of Sorsogon in their thrust in erasing its murkiness to some sectors of our community. They could be the leaders in informing and educating our people especially those residing in the far flung areas of the city.

                        With the student’s awareness on global warming and the City Government’s Luntiang Daigdig Program, it is safe to say that Sorsogon City is in SAFE HANDS.     HCG