Negrenses participated in the Global Climate Justice March last Nov. 29. People from all positions and walks of life marched around Dumaguete City to show their concern over environmental issues like burning of fossil fuels. Advocates also stressed the need for voters to choose running politicians who find solving environmental issues important.
The march materialized earlier than the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21), which will be held from Dec. 7-8 in Paris. COP21 invites world leaders, business CEOs, investors, associations, and industry experts to explore opportunities of spreading awareness on climate change thru sports. Organized by Climate Action, United Nations Environment Program, among others, it also aims to come up with a new agreement on climate change that would lessen carbon emissions. The other organized climate talks will end on Dec. 11.
According to The Guardian, more than 600,000 people marched the streets in 175 countries around the world to plea for a strong deal in Paris that will lead to a transition from using fossil fuels to renewable energy.
Fossil fuels have been the current major energy source of the world. It is non-renewable because it came from prehistoric fossils, so these are limited and depleting in a fast rate. Burning fossil fuels is also one of the main human activities that cause greenhouse effect. When people continue to burn fossil fuels, greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide are released, causing global warming.
The Weekly Sillimanian believes that in the Philippines, awareness is not enough when it comes to environmental issues. People have to change their lifestyles by lessening their carbon footprint or the amount of carbon they are emitting per day.
Voters during the 2016 elections should also vote for leaders who prioritize the environment. Disasters that are global warming-related have been the country’s main challenges.
Also, environmental issues and its consequences are all connected. In the Philippines, drought, animal and coral reef kills, and calamities are not new. Climate change leads to more intense El Niño, rising sea surface temperatures, rising of sea levels, intensifying tropical cyclones, among others in the country.
The staff hopes that Filipinos would not be dependent to the government in solving environmental concerns (or put all the blame on energy corporations by mere rallying against them and not really talking about mitigation methods). Each one is part of the solution; everyone must be united.
