Oceana vice president Von Hernandez. (Photo from the movement Break Free From Plastic)
With the rainy season fast-approaching rainy season and perennial flooding a threat to many local communities, the international marine conservation group Oceana is urging lawmakers to fast-track the passage of the National Coastal Greenbelt Act in order to reduce the causes and mitigate the impacts of global warming and climate change.
Oceana stressed the importance of this law which could address future scenarios of flash floods and landslides, especially since during the rainy season heavy rainfall and tropical storms are expected and these could bring about massive flooding across the country once again.
Almost a year after President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. ordered a thorough investigation into corruption-ridden flood control projects, weather experts have indicated that the intensity of floods, storms and storm surges are already forecasted to worsen due to climate change.
Accordingly, Oceana vice president Von Hernandez underscored that in order to reduce the impact of global warming and those of super typhoons and other extreme weather events, Congress has to fast-track the passage of the National Coastal Greenbelt Act while also calling for a stand-alone version of the same bill, rather than folding the measure into the proposed Integrated Coastal Management Act.
Hernandez pointed out that the National Coastal Greenbelt Act would ensure the protection and restoration of mangrove forests nationwide, which “are a science-proven shield for our coastal communities against the damaging impact of the climate crisis.”
He added that “mangroves can reduce wave heights by up to 75 percent” and with a stand-alone bill, the National Coastal Greenbelt Act would establish clear targets, designate a single lead agency, set firm timelines and secure dedicated funding for mangrove protection.
“In contrast (to this), an Integrated Coastal Management Act—by design—could be bogged down by the need to satisfy multiple and competing priorities at once, like fisheries, tourism, shipping, reclamation and urban development,” he argued.
“The climate emergency should compel Congress to pass a dedicated, stand-alone greenbelt bill now, one that protects our coastal communities from calamitous storm surges and impacts, and that will not be held hostage by other competing economic and commercial interests,” he continued. The lead conservation advocate warned that “failure to do this would be criminal, leaving millions of our countrymen vulnerable and defenseless against the catastrophic impacts of climate change.”
Based on official records, the country’s mangrove cover is estimated to be around 285,000 to 311,400 hectares in 2020 but this has gone down from a high of 500,000 hectares in the early part of the 20th century, a marked decline of more than 45 percent. Despite the drastic situation, the country hosts at least 50 percent of the approximately 65 mangrove species found worldwide.
“Is the government doing all it can to protect our people and communities from the anticipated impacts of climate change?” Hernandez asked.
“The sad answer is no,” he quickly stated while stressing that the reason behind is that instead of ensuring the protection of nature’s most effective defenses against coastal erosion and storm surges, (most) are allowing the continuing decimation of our mangrove forest.”
In ending, Hernandez described faulty and irregular flood control projects, breached seawalls and dikes as a massive wastage of public funds that could have otherwise supported children’s education, health subsidies for the poor and environmental resilience.
“The fixation on flood control projects has resulted in billions of public money being squandered. On top of that, we’ve seen losses in people’s lives and livelihoods, and damage to property—leaving more communities vulnerable to climate impacts,” he concluded.
