The impact of climate change has worsened significantly over the past decade and the window to take action is closing fast, the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released last Feb. 28 said. Unless greenhouse gas emissions are cut drastically, it warned, future generations will find themselves facing more extreme climate events.

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Despite the urgency of the situation, however, young environment advocates said the issue of climate change is barely talked about particularly in the national debates ahead of the May elections. “The lack of attention to this topic proves how it is not a priority to the Philippine government and not attractive for voters to include the politicians’ names on their ballot,” Yacap said. It added that the government should invest in prevention and preparedness such as the restoration and preservation of mangrove forests, sea grass, coral reefs, and watershed ecosystems that will help fight storm surge and floods, capture carbon, and mitigate destruction of the planet.

IPCC said its report is to provide knowledge and understanding about climate risks and that these must be factored into each decision and planning. The rest will be up to the stakeholders: “The choices we make in the next decade will determine our future.”