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A foreign relief operations vehicle passes through flooded streets
to deliver food supplies from private donors to affected communities
after the onslaught of Typhoon Ondoy in 2009.
Photo from Lance Cpl. Marie Matarlo/ U.S. Marine Corps
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Climate Change and Adaptation
Climate change is inevitable. The atmospheric conditions of our planet are ever changing. But the last few decades have seen rising global temperatures that have had sweeping effects on the weather and climate. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the average global temperature has risen by 0.8°C since the start of the last century and is expected to rise by up to 6.4°C over the next 100 years.
While climate change is a normal occurrence, this is exacerbated by the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases trap heat, causing hotter temperatures. These gases come from dirty exhausts from homes, cars and industries. The degradation of forests, which absorb these gases, also contribute to the accumulation.
This warming of the Earth is creating dangerous shifts in climate and weather patterns. Polar caps and glaciers are said to be melting at a faster rate, causing sea levels to rise and putting many lowland areas at risk of flooding. Some places have seen unusual torrential rainfalls while others experience droughts. These are just some of the effects directly attributed to climate change, and some countries like the Philippines are feeling the brunt of it.