How Climate Change and Land Reclamation Are Consuming Philippine Coastal Villages

This worsening situation is primarily driven by two powerful and interconnected forces. First, the accelerating effects of global climate change are causing sea levels to rise at a rate that is disproportionately high for the Philippines, in some areas nearly three times the global average. The archipelago's geography, with its extensive coastline and numerous low-lying islands, makes it acutely vulnerable to even a slight increase in sea level. This rise, coupled with more intense storms and storm surges, is leading to more frequent and severe inundation of coastal areas.