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Marikina Climate Change Mural Espouses Hope (15 Dec. 2009)

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Marikina Climate Change Mural Espouses Hope


Even as the historic Copenhagen climate talks were in full swing, Filipino artists and environmental advocates crafted a stunning climate change-themed mural in one of the country’s most climate-afflicted cities, Marikina. A vibrant 100-square meter mural now adorns the Marikina Riverbanks.

The Green Strokes climate mural now adorns the Marikina Riverbanks complex to remind people that simple innovations and a positive attitude can surmount climate effects such as typhoons, floods and droughts.

Says WWF-Vice Chair and CEO Lory Tan, “This mural is about empowerment and hope. “Ondoy taught us a painful and very expensive lesson. With climate change, no one is ever exempt. Its impacts are dynamic and non-linear. Coastal zones and flood prone areas along riverbanks and lake shores will of course get hit. But less vulnerable areas and sectors are affected as well. Are we prepared to adapt to this nebulous, aggressive future? Clearly not. But it is never too late to work pro-actively.”

As part of the Global Day of Action on Climate Change held last 12 December, the Global Campaign for Climate Action (GCCA) conducted a series of events – kicked off by the climate mural painting event and capped off by a climate-themed concert.

Individual Actions Key to Mitigation

Earth’s second-largest archipelago, the 7150 emerald isles of the Philippines host some of the most productive coasts and forests in Asia. Sadly, the country is also amongst those least-prepared to adapt to changing climates – as the lessons of Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng have shown. Millions of people may have to migrate from coastal regions to less-vulnerable inland areas and the ability of the country’s natural resources to provide food and livelihood might greatly diminish as more destructive climate shifts continue to assail the archipelago.

World leaders are now meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark, for the United Nations Climate Conference to craft a successor to the Kyoto protocol, which expires in 2012. The conference will run for two weeks and will in all probability, decide the fate of many archipelagic nations.

Painted by a cadre of volunteer artists, the mural highlights the importance of individual acts to mitigate climate effects. Says Tan, “Start with your own home. Or office. Reflect on the danger and disruption that came into your lives with the last storm or flood, and take the steps needed to make sure that this does not happen again to the people or activities closest to you."


WWF (World Wildlife Fund for Nature) Release
21 October 2009 
(Reposted with permission, from http://www.wwf.org.ph/newsfacts.php?pg=det&id=175)

For more information, please contact:

Liesl Lim
Climate Consultant, WWF-Philippines
llim@wwf.org.ph

Gregg Yan
Communications Specialist, WWF-Philippines
920-7923/26/31
gyan@wwf.org.ph

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