Changes in the Philippine Coastal Environment

• Main Authors: Szekielda, Karl H, Guzman, Ma. Aileen Leah G
• Format: text
• Published: Archīum Ateneo 2021
• Subjects: Marine Environment; Climate Change; Forecasting; Aquaculture and Fisheries; Climate; Environmental Sciences
• Online Access: https://archium.ateneo.edu/es-faculty-pubs/80; https://archium.ateneo.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1081&context=es-faculty-pubs
• Institution: Ateneo De Manila University

Global warming is progressing at a faster speed than has been estimated earlier in climate forecasting, and the ocean responds rather quickly to global temperature increase. This study uses remotely sensed data that were accessed from the System for Multidisciplinary Research and Applications (NASA Giovanni) to study environmental change in the Philippines’ coast. Monthly averaged sea surface temperature series from around the Philippines indicate that the Philippines follow the global trend in ocean temperature increase and show the increase of about 0.50C within two decades. Despite the high variability in temperature, the linear regressions displayed for all seasons show an increase with variations in the range of 0.30C to 0.50C. Rainfall in the Philippines is connected to the local and remote sea surface temperature, and the monsoon seasons determine to a high degree the rate and volume of precipitation. The data provide evidence that large-scale processes change the level of precipitation, in particular, with respect to the interannual changes and variations that appear to be in the frequency range of El Nino events. The highest rate in sea surface temperature increase is observed for the June to August season with an estimated value of 0.0360C y-1 and lowest rate is observed for the December to February season at about 0.0270C y-1 . These estimates are based on linear regressions, but the 3rd order polynomial showed variability at decadal time scales and the results provide an estimate of possible future changes. By using estimates for 2020 and 2050 it can be projected that within thirty years, an additional temperature increase of 1.80C can be expected in the Philippines’ coastal waters.