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Only 22% of Filipinos satisfied with government’s efforts to address climate change—Harvard study
Targeted climate education interventions for poor, less-educated, and older Filipinos needed
MASSACHUSETTS, USA – Only 22% of Filipinos are positive about the Philippine government’s efforts to address climate change, according to a recent nationwide survey by the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI). Most (53%), are unsure, reflecting a lack of awareness about these efforts.
As the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 29) concluded, this matters because Filipinos need robust national and local strategies to complement insufficient global commitments.
“There is a need for visible action,” says Dr. Vincenzo Bollettino, program director of the HHI Resilient Communities and co-lead for this study. “The government can take steps to collaborate more closely with communities, civil society groups, the private sector, and academia to support adaptative measures,” he notes.
Most Filipinos are acutely aware of climate change and the ensuing risks for their well-being: More than 85% believe climate change is real, and almost half (46%) anticipate that they will be significantly impacted in the next five years, according to the survey. Most anticipate that climate change will impact economic conditions within the next five years, including rapid inflation (43%), loss of income (43%), or poverty and hunger (34%). Fewer are concerned about the impact on health: 26% mention harm, injuries or illnesses, and 10% mention increased mortality or deaths.
Filipinos may under-estimate health risks, as the health implications of climate change are significant. “Rising temperatures and extreme weather events can exacerbate health risks, and lead to a surge in heat-related illnesses, vector-borne diseases, and mental health challenges,” Dr. Bollettino notes.
Climate adaptation measures
Despite their awareness of climate change and the resulting risks to themselves and their communities, few Filipinos have taken actions to address its potential effects: 66% have taken no measures, and among the rest, most measures are focused on environmental protection, like planting trees (21%), reducing energy consumption (15%), conserving water (15%), insulating (7%), and using renewable energy (7%). Few have taken more significant steps to adapt their livelihood (7%) or move away from affected areas (5%).
“Few people have adapted their livelihood or even moved to less affected areas, but these percentages are likely to grow rapidly as people increasingly face the consequences of climate change,” says Dr. Patrick Vinck, director of research of HHI, and also co-lead of this study.
The results show that adaptive measures are more likely among wealthier, more educated Filipinos: Filipinos with higher education (52%) and higher wealth (38%) are more likely to undertake adaptation actions, compared to those with limited education (23%) and lower income (30%). Filipinos aged 18 and 35 (36%) are more likely to undertake personal actions than those aged 56 and above (28%).
Dr. Vinck also notes that “people who are aware about climate change, believe it is happening or take action to adapt to its long-term effects are also all more likely to be prepared for sudden-onset disasters like typhoons. This link is important and highlights the importance of integrating climate change adaptation strategies and disaster preparedness efforts.”
To assess disaster preparedness, HHI has created a scoring system that assesses Filipinos preparedness in several dimensions like participation in training, access to information or material measures like preparing a go-bag. The survey shows that overall, awareness about climate change is associated with a 60% increase in the total preparedness score.
Regional differences
Awareness about climate change, perceived risks, and actions taken all vary across regions. However, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) stands out for its low awareness, beliefs and measures. In BARMM, just 48% have heard about climate change, compared to 70% to 86% across all other regions. Even when given a short definition, few see significant personal risks from climate change: 31% compared to 41% to 58% across all other regions. Only 35% of people in BARMM believe climate change is human-induced, compared to 58% to 80% in other regions.
Regions most affected by extreme disasters are generally more likely to have higher awareness, perceived risks and engagement in personal actions to adapt to climate change than residents in areas less impacted by climate-related hazards. For instance, Typhoon Haiyan-hit regions recorded the highest percentage of residents taking personal adaptation measures to climate change: Central Visayas (48%) and Eastern Visayas (44%). Meanwhile, BARMM recorded the lowest percentage at 21%.
Dr. Vinck notes that these results are important because the consequences of climate change go beyond changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events like typhoons.
“Areas that are highly dependent on agriculture, such as BARMM, will face additional challenges, including altered growing seasons, reduced crop yields, and increased prevalence of crop diseases, all of which threaten food security and livelihoods,” he says.
“Without adequate awareness and belief in the human causes of climate change, necessary adaptive measures may remain insufficient, leaving already vulnerable communities at greater risk of destabilization and economic insecurity,” Dr. Vinck adds.
For Dr. Bollettino, this makes targeted educational and outreach programs crucial to build resilience and inform actions in underprepared regions.
“There is an urgent need to enhance communication about personal adaptation actions and preparedness measures that Filipinos can take in response to climate change, especially among socioeconomically vulnerable groups. At the same time, the government must do more to integrate climate change strategies into national and local policies, ensuring that they not only address environmental concerns but also support economic and social adaptation,” he says.
Nationwide survey on disaster and climate resilience
HHI conducted the said nationwide survey in February – March 2024 to understand the factors contributing to disaster and climate resilience among Filipinos. The survey collected data from 4,608 Filipinos using a standardized questionnaire administered during face-to-face interviews by trained local enumerators.
HHI Resilient Communities, a research program at HHI, has been operating in the Philippines since 2015 to inform disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) programming and policy. HHI is an academic and research center in humanitarian crisis and leadership at Harvard University.
Read or download the information sheet: hsph.me/climateph
Access other information sheets: hhi.harvard.edu/surveyph
For inquiries or interview requests, please contact:
KEANU COSTALES | Grants and Communications Specialist
HHI Resilient Communities
Harvard Humanitarian Initiative
E: kcostales@hsph.harvard.edu