Group to assess state of environment

Green Convergence Philippines will hold the annual State of the Nature Assessment (Green SONA) with the theme “Environmental monsters are back; Superheroes needed!” on Aug. 20, 8 a.m. at Albergo Hotel, Baguio City.

This year’s forum is expected to tackle how genetically modified organisms (GMOs), nuclear power, and large-scale mining and giant dams are unfolding and destroying the environment.

In a statement, Green Convergence president Angelina Galang said, “Technologies that we totally reject include GMOs, which intrude nature in the most basic unit of life, the gene and nuclear power, which likewise disturbs the basic unit of matter, the nucleus.”

She added that programs like large-scale mining and giant dams remove and disturb whole ecosystems, forests, rivers and coastal ecosystems, and contribute immensely to climate change.

Speakers from different government and non-government groups including Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo, Chito Medina of MASIPAG, Jaybee Garganera of Alyansa Tigil Mina, and Atty. Jose Andres Canivel of the Forest Foundation Philippines are invited to talk about the threats of said “environmental monsters” to the country’s environment, and the best green alternatives for them, specifically renewable energy, organic agriculture and reforestation.

Energy Sec. Alfonso Cusi, Tourism Sec. and agri-tourism advocate Bernadette Puyat, Environment Sec. Roy Cimatu, and Climate Change Commission Sec. Emmanuel de Guzman are expected to react on the issues and alternatives.

Green SONA 2018 is also organized by the Energy Development Corporation and the Forest Foundation Philippines and will be participated in by members of the Maryknoll Ecological Sanctuary, Saint Louis University, University of the Cordilleras, and other environmental groups and advocates.