Noru became a super typhoon in 6 hours. Scientists say powerful storms are becoming harder to forecast [CNN]
by Kathleen Magramo and Jan Camenzind Broomby | October 1, 2022 | Published by CNN | READ THE STORY HERE Residents on the small resort island of Polillo are accustomed to severe weather -- their island sits in the northeastern Philippines, on the edge of the Pacific Ocean where storms typically gather strength and turn into typhoons. But even they were stunned by the intensity of Typhoon Noru, known locally as Typhoon Karding, that turned from a typhoon into a super typhoon in just six hours before hitting the region earlier this week. "We're used to typhoons because we're [...]
PAGASA scientist reiterates warning on rising sea levels in PH amid climate change
by Job Manahan | April 30, 2022 | Published by ABS-CBN News | READ THE STORY HERE MANILA — The sea level in the Philippine Sea has risen to about 12 centimeters or nearly 5 inches in the past 20 years, a PAGASA climate scientist said on Saturday. The Philippine Sea had an average yearly increase of 5.7 to 7 millimeters between 1993 to 2015, Dr. Marcelino Villafuerte said, citing studies conducted using satellite data for such period. This is "double" the global average rate of around 2.8 to 3.6 milimeters yearly, as the global temperature continues to rise, [...]
ANC: Typhoons are normal, but climate change supercharging
"Blaming typhoon[s completely] on climate change is not only unscientific, but it also dilutes critical accountability issues among government agencies and other key players." In the face of massive destruction from back-to-back powerful storms, Kairos Dela Cruz, Deputy Executive Director of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, calls on authorities to address the issue by improving local and national risk reduction and management coordination and coming up with longer-term intervention plans.
UN oceans report a clarion call to unite behind the science
Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities REACTIVE UN oceans report a clarion call to unite behind the science QUEZON CITY, 26 September 2019 – The Climate Change Commission in partnership with Rare and the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) today held a joint press briefing on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on oceans and climate change. In response to the landmark report, which was released yesterday, Denise Fontanilla, associate for policy advocacy of ICSC, said: “The IPCC oceans report serves as a clarion call for humanity to cut back its carbon emissions significantly and [...]
Frontlines of climate impacts, forefront of action
by Isabella Ann Mendoza ICSC’s climate policy team, in partnership with CORDAID, has been working closely with the municipalities of Guiuan, Eastern Samar; Santa Fe, Bantayan Island, Cebu; and Coron, Palawan to help develop their local plans in response to the adverse impacts of climate change. The biggest challenge faced by local government units (LGUs) is establishing definitive connections between our climate vulnerabilities and making sure their future actions are able to directly address it. This is why LGUs are required to come up with a Local Climate Change Action Plan (LCCAP) in order to incorporate adaptation and mitigation [...]