Global Warming

Global warming is the condition when the heat can no longer escape the earths surface because
of pollution due to the presence of carbon dioxide and monoxide from burning fuels, methane
gas from oil, and gas wells, rice paddies and animals. Global warming melts the glaciers that
raise the sea levels, destroys coral reefs, brings large scale deaths of plants and animals, and
increases the incidence of dramatic changes in climate, flood, appearance of tornados and
typhoons.
The Inter-government Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported that there will be a rise in
global temperature and that the temperature in the oceans that surround the Philippines has risen
by 2 degrees Celsius in 2009 (Alave, 2010 citing the weather satellites report 2009). The IPCC
revealed further that the rise in global warming will increase flooding from the sea and mega
deltas by rivers that will reduce land areas. The impact of this flooding in the Philippines will be
felt by 64 provinces, 703 towns (70,000 hectares) and will displace 1.5 million Filipinos (Cruz,
2009 citing Greenpeace Philippines report).
Destruction of Coral Reefs
Coral reefs are formed from the hard parts of the coral skeleton. They serve as shelters for
marine plants and animals in the tropical seas and (PDI, 2010) absorber of poisonous carbon
dioxide. The Philippines is part of the coral triangle of the world and it has 34,000 square
kilometers of the most diverse(IBON, 2000) coral reefs on earth composed of soft and hard
corals (Hicks, 1999). The Philippines coral reefs are the hosts of 98% of the coral worlds species
but, unfortunately , DENR reported that only 5% of the Philippines coral reefs are in excellent
condition, and sea grass losses in these reefs have been estimated at 30 to 50 % over the last 50
years (MTDP 2004 2010). It has been predicted that the current coral bleaching will surpass the
1998 catastrophe cause by the El Nio phenomenon and if coral bleaching will continue every
ten years, the coral reefs will be greatly diminished within the next 50 years (Licuanan as cited
by Alave, 2010). The UP Marine Institute reported that the destruction of coral reefs is due to
improper methods of industrial and agricultural practices (such as littering and sewage
treatment), collection and dredging of corals, careless recreation and cyanide fishing. Destruction
of coral reefs causes depletion of marine species and their habitat, depletion of potential food and
medicinal resources, loss of harbor and beaches, protection from flood, and loss of
recreational/aesthetic resources for tourists and residents.
Overexploitation
Overexploitation is a condition of over-harvesting wild plants and animals that depletes these
living organisms to a point of extinction. This condition can disturb the ecological balance
because it will destroy the food chain, the biodiversity and the ecological relationships of living
and non-living things in the ecosystem (Mader, 2004). For the past years, the number of
endangered animals and plants has increased globally and locally. In the Philippines alone, the

DENR reported that tarsiers, monkey-eating eagles, mouse deer and musang, corals and other
marine animals are among the endangered animals in the Philippines due to illegal export.

Presence of Alien Species to the Philippines Ecosystem

The Philippines ecosystem is a unique assemblage of organisms that evolved together. The
introduction of new species disturbs the food web and has a harmful effect on the delicate
balance of the ecosystem. Alien species endanger the ecosystem because they introduce parasites
and diseases to native species, after the native gene pool through hybridization, and cause
reduction of native plants and herbivores through indirect competition (Stifling, 1999). Recently,
there has been an increasing number of alien species (exotic animals, like the piranha, janitor
fish, giant hito, and exotic plants (cacti and orchids) introduced in the Philippines. It has been
reported that there has been a decline in fish catch of native fishes like the hito, gurami, and
dalag in Marikina Rivers due to the overpopulation of janitor fish (a scavenger fish) that grows
so fast occupying the habitat and ecological niches of the local fishes. The uncontrolled
population growth of janitor fish is due to the absence of predators in the Marikina ecosystem
that will control its population size.
Declining Bio-diversity
According to Harper (2001), biodiversity is the variation in the gene pools of plants and animals
and their different functional roles within the region and within the ecosystem. There are two
types of biodiversity: the ecosystem biodiversity and the functional biodiversity. Ecosystem
biodiversity is the different habitats within the grasslands, marshland, woodland and other areas.
Functional biodiversity is the different roles of the organism within an ecosystem (Harper, 2001).
Biodiversity is important (Southwick, 1996; Nafziger, 1997; Harper, 2001; Nader, 2004)
because: it helps maintain the stability of the ecosystem, it contributes to the functioning of
water, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous and other biogeochemical cycles that assure freshwater
supply, removal of carbon dioxide, uptake of excess soil nitrogen and provision for phosphates;
and it provides plants and animals for food, cosmetics, construction materials, fuel, pest control
and medicine.
Recent studies noted that many species are now threatened because of changing climate. The
endangered species include lumbering bear, fragile butterflies, colorful frogs and the entire
Islands of North American forests(PDI, 2009).
Environmentalists noted that the Philippines is one of the most critical hotspots of the mega
diverse countries of the world. IBON (2000) revealed that there are 1,396 flagship species of
marine plants and animals, and one hundred forty five (145) of these flagship species are under
threat, fifteen (15) species are endangered, sixteen (16) species of fishes are endemic while 123
are already indicators of environmental coma. The Department of Environmental and Natural

Resources (DENR) reported that from 1992 to 2002, there were an increasing number of
endangered mammals (from 47 to 99), birds (from 125 to 216) and reptiles (from 11 to 16). The
unmatched critical decline of biodiversity of the Philippines is due to the destruction of the
original forests, freshwater and marine ecosystems ( The Department of Environment and
Natural Resources 1992 to 2002) and caused by the inadequate information, poor area planning
system, misuse of land, weak enforcement of policies and laws, overpopulation, and poverty
(2001 DENR Annual Report).
Southwick (1996) attributes the decline of biodiversity to water pollution, the release of toxic
chemicals, the destruction of grassland, the spread of deserts, the uncontrollable expansion of
cities, the increased need for agricultural production, the commercialization of natural habitats,
and the uncontrolled over-fishing and burning. Ghosh (2009) noted that the major drivers of
biodiversity change at the global scale are due to changes in land use, climate change, nitrogen
disposition due to human action, atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide and biotic
exchange due to introduction of alien species.