Experts on climate change have long been claiming that the world’s climate is changing. But there are always doubting Thomases, who either deny outright the occurrence of climate change or minimize its effects if it ever exists. About a year ago, a critic of my report on marine protected areas made a statement casting doubt on climate changes affecting coral reefs.  I “stuck to my guns” in a reply to him, citing as evidence observations on an island protected from the fury of typhoons off southern Palawan where there was an obvious beach erosion that toppled many mature coconut trees.

Not too long ago a couple of climate experts were quoted in a newspaper as saying that natural occurrences such as typhoons and hurricanes have occurred with increased frequency and have become more severe in the 21^st century. One of them was a retired Filipino climate scientist. The opinions of these scientists appear to be borne out by recent events.  

The years 2004-2005 have given us some cause for alarm over the destructive effects of typhoons in the eastern hemisphere (northern Philippines) and hurricanes in the western hemisphere (Gulf of Mexico). These are occurrences about which the best science appears to explain but unable to prevent or mitigate. The only thing science can do is to allow us to be warned giving us time to escape their wrath and to view the course of their paths of destruction.  Human beings are completely under the mercy of these natural events.  It must be frustrating to many of us who have relied on science and technology to guide the course of their lives. Many have questioned why the Ruler of the Universe allows such destructive events.

Primitive human societies apparently had accepted a simple explanation for these events, namely, as punishment for humankind’s sins and transgressions of Divine laws. They are punishments that must be accepted and endured. It is not surprising that many people today still believe in this explanation. There is no serious objection to this belief if it leads to a change in our attitudes and ways of doing things especially as related to our treatment of nature.

A rational explanation of the apparent increased frequency and increased severity of natural events lies in the behavior of human beings. We have been profligate in the use of natural resources and have essentially fouled up the earth, the net result of which is climate change. This change appears to be manifested by more severe natural occurrences including typhoons, hurricanes, El Niño events, floods, and tidal surges, in turn triggering a host of after-effects that disrupt normal natural processes.

Because these events are global in effect, the solutions must also be global. The international community is not lacking in such proposed global solutions. For example, the Kyoto Protocol aims to solve one major cause of climate change—global warming. But it is not acceptable to the large powerful countries that contribute very much to this global warming phenomenon. These countries want to grow and grow, but in their desire to improve their economies, they drag down other small countries literally struggling to keep their heads above seawater, such as the small islands in the South Pacific.

The Philippines must learn lessons from local and global natural events.

But not only the Philippines, all of the world has to open her Eye  (Martin Jordan)