Climate Change Overview

Country Summary

This page presents high-level information for Philippines's climate zones and its seasonal cycle for mean temperature and precipitation for the latest climatology, 1991-2020. Climate zone classifications are derived from the Köppen-Geiger climate classification system, which divides climates into five main climate groups divided based on seasonal precipitation and temperature patterns. The five main groups are A (tropical), B (dry), C (temperate), D (continental), and E (polar). All climates except for those in the E group are assigned a seasonal precipitation sub-group (second letter).  Climate classifications are identified by hovering your mouse over the legend. A narrative overview of Philippines's country context and climate is provided following the visualizations.

The Philippines is an archipelago comprised of 7,107 islands (1,000 of which are inhabit), with a humid climate and a topography characterized by mountainous terrain bordered by narrow coastal plains. Considered one of the most biologically rich and diverse countries in the world, the Philippines also has one of the world’s longest coastlines, and its marine and coastal resources yield US$3.5 billion annually in goods and services. The country’s mineral, oil, gas, and geothermal potential are also significant.

The Philippines is considered to be among the world’s most disaster-prone countries. Commonly occurring hazards include floods, droughts, typhoons, landslides and mudslides, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. Recent decades have witnessed an increase in damaging extreme events, such as heavy rainfall and tropical cyclone activity, and this trend is expected to continue under a changing climate. Many Filipino families live and make their living along coastal areas and depend highly on the natural resources from the sea, the land, and the forests for their livelihood and survival makes the Philippines doubly susceptible to the harsh impacts of climate change