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As the Earth Warms Up, What Can We Do?

Tropical rainforests present the greatest capacity to capture carbon released in the atmosphere. They produce 40% of the Earth’s oxygen. Out of all the rainforests in the world, the Southeast Asian rainforests are the oldest, and most consistent, dating back to the Pleistocene Epoch 70 million years ago. It has a biological richness and diversity unequaled by that of the Amazon or African rainforests.

Each tree in our tropical forest helps prevent global warming. Our old growth, primary forests alone, are able to sequester 4.1 million tons of carbon per year, while second growth forests in the Philippines are able to sequester 9.5 million tons of carbon per year. (Philippine Forestry and Carbon Dioxide Sequestration: Opportunities for Mitigating Climate Change by Rodel D. Lasco and Florencia B. Pulhin, 1998)

With global rise of temperatures posing drastic changes in our climate, our country becomes more vulnerable from its impacts ranging from weather disturbances, flash floods, drought, changes in species migration and feeding patterns, increase in illnesses, and many more serious consequences. No doubt, global warming is an issue we have to address. Now.

The unabated commercial extraction of timber and minerals in the few remaining patches of primary and residual forest areas around the country consequently reduces our capacity to capture carbon released in the atmosphere. Forests per unit area with their natural vegetation can hold 30%-50% more carbon than the ecosystems that replace them. And extractive reserves such as mining has zero capacity to hold carbon.

The potential of forests in carbon sequestration is not limited to the trees alone. The Philippines, characterized as a center for species diversity and endemism naturally possess a rich biomass. Biomass (the total living biological material in a given area) play a significant role as well— as carbon sinks, biomass effectively stores and sequesters carbon from the atmosphere. The persistent loss of these stocks of life-supporting systems, their biodiversity, and renewable, as well as non-renewable resources seriously endanger present and future global capability to sustain life.

According to a study by Gabriel Penno Saraiva author of Proposals to Reforest the Earth, the cost of damage per carbon released into the atmosphere is US$ 20.00 per ton. If 50% of our secondary forests will be subjected to more cutting within the next five years, this will result to a US$95 million or Php 4.56 billion cost of global warming damage. Logging has been banned within old-growth primary forests above 1,000 meters yet some encroachment still occurs. Thus, given the estimated 25% deforestation rate over the next five years, this is a US$ 20.5 million or Php 984 million loss usually. This figure only estimates the carbon credit loss and does not include the direct use value of forests such as timber, non-timber products, tourism and recreation, research and educations; as well as indirect use value such as watershed effects, biodiversity, reduced soil erosion, micro-climactic functions and carbon storage.

Currently, the Philippine government does not undertake resource valuation of all the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) areas and critical watersheds in the country. Resource valuation can be an indicative tool for assessing the value not only of potential income from business operations but also in determining the actual environmental services provided by each ecosystem at risk. The Samar Island Natural Park using water resources alone with its direct and indirect values has been estimated with a Net Present Value (NPV) of US$ 24.42 billion.

If resource valuation is done, the government may realize the significance of our forests not just in terms of per board feet or cubic feet financial reward. The remaining forests can then be accorded the obligatory protection they are entitled to.

We desperately need to conserve our remaining forests given the rapid rise in the Earth’s temperature. For every hectare of forest cut, 128.5 tons of carbon is released (Climate Change and Developing Countries: Negotiating a Global Regime by Antonio G.M. Lavina). Thus, with the remaining 14 Timber License Agreement (TLA) concessions in the country with Annual Allowable Cut (AAC) of 566,589 hectares approved by the DENR in 2004, the Philippines alone will release 72.8 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere in a year.

We have limited options left. We should stop the large-scale extraction of timber and minerals now and start restoring our forests. Potential economic benefit from logging and mining remain just that — a wish list. But our tropical rainforests can now save us from the real dangers of our rapidly changing climate.

From Haribon Foundation’s 1 Million Signature Campaign Against Commercial Logging and Mining, the renewed campaign is now moving towards the restoration of at least 1 million hectares of rainforests by year 2020. Our rainforests serve as our Social Security System. Our native trees, especially dipterocarp and other hardwood species are being fast extracted — our basic sources for food, water, medicine, and shelter — are in grave danger.

Indigenous tree species will restore Southeast Asian rainforests. We will be contributing to the reduction of carbon emitted in the atmosphere by planting more indigenous trees that have the proven capacity to capture high amounts of carbon.

By planting indigenous tree species and protecting them from being cut, we can mitigate the effects of global warming. The immediate intervention in arresting rapid change in our climate is right in our midst. We need not only seek imported technologies and beg for loans to fund renewable energy projects. We need not convert our remaining forest lands for biofuels.

By planting indigenous tree species, we can even earn the much-required financial resources by engaging in carbon trading. Let our communities plant trees, help them conserve these trees, and give them assistance to gain access to various carbon trading mechanisms available.

Extractive industries are rendered irrelevant under the growing threat of global warming. It is time for the government to implement laws on biodiversity conservation and prosecute those who endanger the lives of Filipinos by fast-tracking climate change through unabated extraction of our natural resources.

We are an archipelagic nation facing extreme pressures from rising tides, weather disturbances, and coral bleaching. Proud as we are of our unique and rich biodiversity, much of our endemic species will be gone soon— unless we start planting now.