BY: LEANDRIA P. PAGUNSAN
DUMAGUETE CITY, July 14 (PIA) – Climate change affects the earth’s energy balance that leads to either warming or cooling effect in the atmosphere.
This was bared by Engr. Oscar Tabada, Chief Meteorologist of DOST-PAGASA Visayas Field Office during the training on “Disaster Preparedness vis-à-vis Climate Change Using Social Media” for the Association of Negros Oriental Public Information Officers (ANOPIO), local media, members of Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) and some environmental communication students from Silliman University held recently at the Negros Oriental Convention Hotel.
Dubbed as the "Weatherman" Tabada made a blow by blow presentation of extreme weather condition patterns in the Visayas showing the destructive impacts of climate change.
Extreme weather condition patterns pose many dangers such as more hot days felt, more intense downpour of rain and uncertain changes in storms to come, Tabada explained.
He showed in his presentation the depleted forest cover, decline in agricultural production by 29-60%, more intense and longer droughts and heat waves have become more frequent now as directly observed of the recent climate change phenomenon.
He added that increased wet season can cause more flooding, risk to urban drainage and more landslides.
Tabada urged everyone to take part in mitigating the destructive effects of climate change through information dissemination and continuing advocacy campaign by simply reducing all forms of burning so that emission of greenhouse gases will be reduced thereby slowing down the rise in the earth's temperature.
More importantly, Tabada campaigned for caring the environment by giving more space to agriculture, parks, backyard gardens and proper waste disposal.
Stop all forms of logging and obeying rules to protect our environment are the best responses we can contribute to save the earth and the future generations to come, ended Tabada. (mbcn/lpp/PIA-7/Negros Oriental)