Climate Change and the Philippines

The Philippines, a beautiful archipelago of over 7,000 islands, is also one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change. Its location on the Pacific “typhoon belt” and its social and economic challenges leave millions of Filipinos exposed to stronger storms, rising seas, and shifting weather patterns. Around the world, the continued rise in greenhouse gas emissions fuels these changes, bringing more frequent typhoons, longer droughts, and dangerous floods that hit the Philippines especially hard.

At home, local issues make things worse. Rapid urban growth, deforestation, and poor land use strip away the country’s natural defenses. Forests and mangroves that once protected communities from floods and storm surges are disappearing, while unplanned city expansion leads to clogged waterways and homes built in high-risk areas. These problems feed into one another, creating a cycle that makes recovery even harder after every disaster.

It is a deeply personal impact. Farmers have to cope with unpredictable rains which ravage their harvests, while fishers observe an ocean in transformation: warmer waters, less fish, devastated reefs. In urban centers, citizens experience floods and heat that becomes insufferable; health and livelihoods hang in the balance. Yet through each storm, each setback, the Filipino spirit remains unbroken. Communities rally, rebuild, and adapt.

But resilience is not enough. Real change will come when strong policies, global cooperation, and sustainable practices protect people and nature alike. The story of the Philippines reminds us that though climate change is a global problem, it is most profoundly affecting the lives of ordinary people. And that collective action is the only path ahead.