Blogs
Through the bilateral meeting, that we had with the students and teachers from St. Joseph’s Academy, I’ve learnt many new things. I learnt about many climate issues that the Philippines are currently facing. One of their most concerning issue is that the government is placing white sand on the beach of Manila Bay. This white sand is actually crushed dolomite which contains heavy metals and when this is washed away into the ocean it has a negative impact on the marine and coral life as it raises the acid levels in the sea. Our school put together a presentation on unconventional gas exploration in Victoria. Unconventional gas is found in complex geological systems and can be difficult to produce, requiring innovative technological solutions for extraction. The potential environmental impacts include the industry’s potential greenhouse gas footprint, possible fragmenting of local habitat, changes to agricultural landscapes and economic and social impacts on rural communities. The Philippines told us that they are trying their best to stop the act by doing petitions to stop the dumping of dolomite sand, but unfortunately the government has not been taking this issue into consideration just like the problem with eh unconventional gas exploitation. It was great meeting everyone from the Philippines and I hope to speak with more people that are eager to help the world.
