14% increase in rainfall expected

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

AN ENVIRONMENT advocate warns that rainfall is expected to increase by at least 14 percent in East Asia as the world gets hotter due to climate change.

Elisea G. Guzon, Presidential Assistant on Climate Change, said climate change contributes to the risk of more rainfall because the world is experiencing “global fever” due to green gases.

Have something to report? Tell us in text, photos or videos.

Guzon, however, said the increase in rainfall is not evenly distributed among East Asian countries.

“The major consequence of climate change is the variability of precipitation which means that too much heat can cause too much evaporation that leads to rainfall,” she said during an environmental forum at Xavier University over the weekend.

Guzon said greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane can cause greenhouse effect.

“It will continue to get hotter in this century and beyond,” she warned as she pointed to people who are “causing a dangerous trend.” She, however, failed to elaborate.

Greenhouse effect is a process by which thermal radiation from a planetary surface is absorbed by atmospheric greenhouse gases and is re-radiated in all directions.

Guzon said an average of 20 typhoons enter the Philippines every year and because of climate change, the typhoons will become either stronger or will bring in more rain.

In December, Tropical Storm Sendong devastated some parts of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City, which left thousands dead and missing.

The weather bureau said ‘Sendong’ poured in more rain compared to ordinary typhoons, much even more than Typhoon Ondoy.

According to Graciano Yumul, officer-in-charge of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), the normal rainfall in Cagayan de Oro for the month of December is 113.2 millimeters (113.2mm).

Guzon added that the rise in sea level is also the effect of climate change.

“The glaciers are melting because of heat. The rising sea level will erode beaches, intensify flooding, inundate wetland and other low-lying lands and increase the salinity of rivers, bays and ground water tables,” she said.

Gozun’s recommendations to lessen the effects of climate change is to undertake a framework of sustainable development by reducing greenhouse gases, reduce risk, conserve energy and water, improve efficiencies, shift to alternative renewable fuel, improve or support mass transport system (non-fossil fuel), encourage more walking/biking (non-motorized transit), control urban sprawling, more compact and multiple use development and compost, and recycle and reuse (ecological solid waste management).

“We have to plan and work together, government and private sectors, non-government organizations, the academe. Everyone should help each other because it is our shared responsibility,” she said.