Responding To Climate Change, We Must Adapt & Mitigate – William Dar


The poor image of the book cover, copied as-is from the original, tells this writer, editor & publisher that Elsevier does not care much about common citizens clearly catching climate change concepts. Sadly, they are sellingthe book without telling a main message.

Titled Climate Change Science and subtitled Causes, Effects And Solutions For Global Warming, the book is edited by David SK Ting & Jacqueline A Stagner and published by Elsevier, 21 May 2021, 302 pages.
(book cover image[1] from Elsevier)

Inadvertently, the hazy cover reflects humanity’s response to climate change! The question is: What can we do about climate change?

In the Philippines, “Science-Driven Fixes For Climate Change, Hunger Pushed In FAO[2]” is the title of an article by Jasper Y Arcalas (17 June 2021, BusinessMirror). While the event is global, Mr Arcalas reports only PH’s contribution via Secretary of Agriculture William Dar in the mid-June virtual discussion on “Combating Climate Change And Hunger Through Innovation” during the 42nd Session of the FAO Conference.

There, Mr Dar “called for greater international cooperation to institutionalize and advance science-driven innovations and technologies in agriculture to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change and end hunger by 2030.”

A science writer who investigates his subject matters, I have learned that Man has 2 complementary responses to climate change: Adaptation and Mitigation. Adapt is to “adjust or modify;” mitigateis to “moderate” or “make less severe” (American Heritage Dictionary).

What did Mr Dar say was PH’s scientific response to climate change? I quote from Mr Arcalas, with my emendation:

Adaptation: “We employ modern technologies and innovations in our ongoing efforts to revitalize productivity and increase incomes of Filipino farmers and fishers.” Science reinvigorating productivity.

Mitigation: “We moderate the impact of climate change on food security.” Science lessening weather damage to food production.

Saying, “Agriculture is the mainspring of rural economic progress in the Philippines,” Mr Dar saw Filipinos must adapt our agriculture to the climate extremes of too wet and too dry season after season – even as government is “continuously encouraging stronger private sector investments and partnerships to attain sustainable agricultural modernization and industrialization, equitable prosperity, and national food security.”

More. Adaptation: Via science, we have to develop crops and livestock resilient with climate change. Mitigation: We have to develop methods to reduce the adverse effects of climate change when it happens. Now then, science must be “changing the dynamics of economic progress.” That is to say, leaders must see to it that in the balance, “the benefits from science-driven innovations reach small-scale farms and rural families to uplift their lives.”

Considering everyone, Mr Dar said:

Because of the complexities brought about by climate change and its impact on food systems, as well as the new normal brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, we should ensure that the benefits of science-driven innovation find a place in our farms, as well as in the homes of every rural family and ultimately, in every home in all societies.

Science must make sure no one is left behind!@517


[1]https://www.elsevier.com/books/climate-change-science/ting/978-0-12-823767-0

[2]https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/06/17/science-driven-fixes-for-climate-change-hunger-pushed-in-fao/?fbclid=IwAR1GZwHcUvb1ef-Pe9fnTqkNqYZNy9RkkJT71gU4gBuvmb2Pmp-xqu0LDNU

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Knorr Of Big Business Unilever Thinks Big Business Regenerative Agriculture – My Tiny Country PH Also Should!

Image
“Knorr’s plan for 50 regenerative agriculture projects is predicted to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and water use by an estimated 30% while improving biodiversity, soil health and livelihoods.” That is regenerative agriculture (RA) news by Julian Cirineo (05 Nov 2021, “Unilever Wants To Rethink How Farms Work To Secure Food And Resources For The Future,” Rappler , rappler.com ). Note: 50 (not 5 only) RA projects to improve greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and water use by 30% – plus improving biodiversity, soil health and livelihoods. Note the last 7 words in the above paragraph. How can RA improve biodiversity? RA requires that the farmer practices multiculture (a few or many crops grown at the same time in the same place), where monoculture (such as rice-only or corn-only) is the practice – the biodiversity improves crop health because of the ensuing balance of nature, such as some organisms feed on other organisms that would otherwise become pests or cause diseases. RA is your
Read more

In Looking At The Crown Of Thorns, I Found The Clowns

Image
We could use a surprise sense of humor!  Yes, especially on the wide problematic fields of Agriculture. There was this news that some high PH government officials wanted to probe Vice President Leni Robredo for “competing against” PH agencies in providing much-needed assistances during this coronavirus lockdown, and Marigs Laririt shared a picture-story on Facebook quoting Ms Leni as saying, “I didn’t know it was competition. I didn’t see any competitors!” Ms Marigs says, “Ay, parang friends ko kung sumagot si Mam.” (Ay, with Mam, it’s just like my friends answering back.) That is a two-handed backslap, and you can imagine the lady laughing! She is the humor-monger; they are the clowns. Today is Friday, 03 April 2020 and in one account ( Wikipedia ), Friday the 3 rd of April was crucifixion of Jesus and his crowning of thorns [1] . (images: Crown of Thorns [2]  from St Anthony Messenger , 1 st clown [3]  from The Guardian , 2 nd clown [4]  from Shutterstock ) About the living clowns I
Read more

“Natural Farming” – Aggie Journalists, We Must Be Careful With The Terms We Use!

Image
Look at the contrasting images: Which one is correct in claiming what is being practiced is “natural farming”? Top Image: This one accompanies the Anonymous WWF-Philippines story, “Mindanao Farmers Start Off the Year with Natural Farming Systems Technology” published online December 2019 [1] . The World Wide Fund, WWF, is a very credible international source of knowledge on conservation, right? Not this time. Very clearly, you can see the white plastic mulch covering the furrows and bare soil in-between them. Mr or Ms Anonymous, the plastic mulch is not natural. The soil not covered in-between furrows is not natural. So much soil bare, not natural, allowing so much natural water wasted because it had evaporated from the unprotected, hot soil surface! That is not conservation; that is not natural. The term “natural” is used here very carelessly . Aggie journalists, wake up! How come I noticed all that immediately when I saw the photograph? Because I learned my organic farming more t
Read more