COASTAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT INTEGRATING COASTAL RESOURCE ASSESSMENT AND VALUATION, CARRYING CAPACITY, CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND DISASTER RISK REDUCTION IN THE PROVINCE OF ZAMBALES: A SYSTEMS APPROACH

PROJECT 3: ASSESSMENT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION STRATEGIES

The Earth's climate has changed throughout history. Just in the last 650,000 years there have been seven cycles of glacial advance and retreat, with the abrupt end of the last ice age about 7,000 years ago marking the beginning of the modern climate era — and of human civilization. Most of these climate changes are attributed to very small variations in Earth’s orbit that change the amount of solar energy our planet receives. The current warming trend is of particular significance because most of it is extremely likely (greater than 95 percent probability) to be the result of human activity since the mid-20th century and proceeding at a rate that is unprecedented over decades to millennia.

The Philippines’ Initial National Communication (INC) on climate change identifies the following adaptation options: (i) assessment of current practices on crisis management; (ii) information and education campaign (IEC); (iii) guidelines and implementation of the integrated coastal zone management (ICZM); (iv) institutionalization of mangrove resources development; (v) public easements and buffer strips should be treated as separate lots during land surveys; (vi) LGUs should be required to reserve foreshore areas (critical areas for recreation/tourism, etc.); (vii) inclusion of wetlands, swamps, marshes in the National Integrated Protected Areas (NIPAs) under a category of wildlife sanctuary or unique ecosystem; (viii) a multi-hazard mitigation and protection plan for natural coastal areas must be developed; (ix) formulation and strict implementation of mining laws, reforestation of denuded watersheds to reduce river/coastal erosion; (x) requirement of geological, hydrometeorological, and structural engineering evaluation as part of the environmental impact assessment; and (xi) limitation of government subsidies or tax incentives to develop land sensitive to SLR (Government of the Philippines, 1999).

Zambales lies on the western shores of Luzon Island facing the West Philippine Sea. Its shoreline is rugged and features many coves and inlets. The province features a mountainous land in the eastern length of the province that occupies about 60% of its total land area.

The adaptation strategies provided on this site are intended to inform and assist communities in identifying potential alternatives. They are illustrative and are presented to help communities consider possible ways to address anticipated current and future threats resulting from the changing climate.

The NFSCC 2010-2022 recommends an integrated ecosystem-based management approach to addressing the country’s multiple vulnerabilities to climate change. For river basin management, the objective is to manage watershed ecosystems and multi-polar environments through the River Basin Management (RBM) approach based on these strategies: (i) rehabilitate and develop watershed resources through resource use and governance improvement; (ii) enhance vulnerability and adaptation assessments; (iii) enhance ecosystem services to control droughts, floods, and landslides; (iv) institute a comprehensive RBM governance strategy; (v) establish appropriate and participatory institutional arrangements with LGUs, private sector, and civil society organizations; and (vi) reduce climate change risks and vulnerability of watershed ecosystems and biodiversity through ecosystem-based management approaches, conservation efforts, and sustainable environment and natural resources-based economic endeavors such as ecotourism (Climate Change Commission [CCC], 2010).

 

 

 

 

Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction Management Database: