Saraah!

By Leila Salaverria
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:03:00 01/13/2008

MANILA, Philippines–The Supreme Court has designated 117 trial courts as “environmental courts” to hear cases involving violations of laws protecting the country’s natural resources and to speed up their resolution.

In a resolution, the tribunal approved the recommendation of the Philippine Judicial Academy to designate such courts “for improved environmental adjudication” in the country.

The resolution, dated Nov. 20, 2007, was received by the Supreme Court’s public information office only on Jan. 9, a copy of which was obtained by the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net).

Of the 117 environmental courts, 45 were earlier designated as forestry courts.

Forty-eight “first-level” courts and 24 “second-level” courts will handle all types of environmental cases, including violations of the Fisheries Code and the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act, which establishes national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.

[...]

Climate change has been negatively affecting developing countries that relied on climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture and fishing..

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Nobel Peace Prize winner in 2007 along with former US Vice President Al Gore, has warned that rising temperatures due to greenhouse gas emissions will cause widespread drought, floods, higher sea levels and worsening storms..

In the Philippines, between 1980 and 2002 alone, 19 severe tropical storms and typhoons each caused damage of more than P1 billion and deaths of at least 100 people, according to the Greenpeace report, “Crisis or opportunity: Climate change impact and the Philippines.”.

The report said another 10 storms during the period caused either more than 100 deaths or at least P1 billion in damage.

[...]

—.Philippine Daily Inquirer. 13 January 2008. Philippine Daily Inquirer.net. .

Lobsters are a very interesting species. They reflect much of our attitudes as human beings when it comes to dealing with environmental problems. Lobsters would gladly boil in hot water if the temperature is increased gradually. They do not take alarm for they do not know at which point the heat becomes dangerous. It is that same gradual yet exaggerated and abnormally accelerated accumulation of greenhouse gases that we are in danger of extinction by ignoring the problem until it is too late.

What do we do about the problem of climate change depends largely on how much we are willing to revise our thoughts on such an important issue. My head hurts to talk of climate change as if it were ambiguous and esotoric to warrant further explanation. The horrors of its consequences should automatically register in our consciousness the moment we speak of climate change. I don’t know, but I guess for most people the exact opposite happens. Instead of stark images of future doom, we play mental clips of the things we like to spend our time, effort and money on while planetary temperatures reach fever pitch.

Let’s let the world spin and forget about the brouhaha of global warming shall we? Sweeny Todd needs our full attention.

Unbelievable.