Fossil Fuels and Its Impact to the Philippine Wildlife

By: Urim Colegado

Introduction

   Nowadays, many industries depends on fossil fuels. This fuel used to heat our homes, run our vehicles, power industry and manufacturing, and provide us with electricity. Fossil fuels are derived from the decomposition of plants and animals. These fuels, which can be found in the Earth's crust and contain carbon and hydrogen, can be burned for energy. Fossil fuels include coal, oil, and natural gas. When fossil fuels are burned, large amounts of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, are released into the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases trap heat in our atmosphere and contribute to global warming. These process has a great impact to the Wildlife in the Philippines.

Philippines being dependent on Fossil fuels

   Energy consumption drives economic growth and is a key input for socio-economic development [1]. Access to clean energy is considered vital for modern living and a necessary element for all production sectors to function well [1]. The Philippines' energy sector faces the dual challenges of (heavy reliance on fossil fuels and imported energy and high energy demand. The Philippine power sector currently relies largely on fossil-fuels (about 77%) and is expected to increase use of coal-based plants to meet future energy demand, which would negatively affect environmental outcomes. Coal consumption in the power sector increased from 7 million tons (mt) in 2006 to 15.5 mt in 2014. Due to heavy reliance on coal-based power generation, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are expected to grow rapidly. CO2 emissions from coal power plants amounted to 26 mt and are projected to increase to 92 mt of carbon dioxide per year if all planned coal plants are installed (1).

How fossil fuels affect the Philippine Wildlife

   If the Philippines continues to rely on fossil fuels, it will undoubtedly worsen the country's wildlifeconditions and, as a result, our well-being as a society. The global perspective on fossil fuels, one of the primary causes of climate change, has always centered on the enormous energy they provide humanity. However, while its impact on biodiversity is more devastating to humans than we realize, it receives less attention. This is especially noticeable in the Philippines, which is one of the world's 18 mega-biodiverse countries. With 22,500 square kilometers of coral reefs and at least 3,214 fish species, the Philippines are located in the global epicenter of marine biodiversity. The country also has a high level of species endemism, ranking fourth in terms of bird endemism. Almost half of the country's terrestrial wildlife is endemic. The Philippines, on the other hand, is one of the world's biodiversity hotspots, with many of its species facing various threats or even extinction. The country is home to approximately 700 threatened species, including 207 terrestrial mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and 76 fish species. The Philippine crocodile, tamaraw, and Philippine eagle are all endangered species that are endemic to the country[2].

   Climate change is possibly the most serious threat to biodiversity. If the Philippines continues to rely on fossil fuels, it will undoubtedly worsen the country's wildlife conditions and, as a result, our well-being as a society. The entire process of converting fossil fuels to usable energy has an impact on biodiversity, both directly and indirectly.

References:

[1]; The Philippines energy future and low-carbon development strategiesMd Alam Hossain Mondal, Mark Rosegrant, Claudia Ringler, Angga Pradesha, Rowena Valmonte-Santos. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2018.01.039

[2]; How fossil fuels destroy biodiversity. https://www.rappler.com/voices/imho/129195-fossil-fuels-destroy-philippines-biodiversity/

Image 1: https://www.nrdc.org/stories/fossil-fuels-dirty-facts

Image 2: https://genome10k.ucsc.edu/2019/09/03/vgp-generates-largest-number-of-high-quality-genomes-of-iconic-and-endangered-species/