Submission in Support of Petitioners Case No. CHR-NI-2016-0001 temperatures) contributed to the intensity of the storm.31 The Philippines will likely experience even more severe tropical cyclones as temperatures increase,32 the damages of which will be exacerbated by sea level rise and more severe monsoons. 5. Impaired Ecosystems Even under the intermediate emissions scenarios considered by the IPCC, there is a “high risk” that climate change will cause “abrupt and irreversible regional-scale change in the composition, structure, and function of terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems” in this century.33 Drivers of ecosystem changes include gradual shifts in temperature and precipitation patterns, sea level rise, and extreme weather events. Many plant and animal species have already moved their ranges and changed their behavior in response to observed climate change over recent decades, but many others will be unable to move quickly enough or otherwise adapt to changing climactic conditions.34 Thus, the IPCC predicts that climate change will “reduce the populations, vigor, and viability” of many species, especially those with spatially restricted populations, and will increase the extinction risk for many species.35 “Forest dieback” is a major concern for terrestrial ecosystems, as this has potentially significant impacts on climate, biodiversity, water quality, wood production, and livelihoods.36 Increased tree death has already been observed in many places worldwide, and there is high confidence that this can be attributed to climate change in some regions.37 Coastal ecosystems are also particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The composition of coastal and estuarine ecosystems will be altered by sea level rise, changes in precipitation and river flow, increased water temperatures, 31 Kevin Trenberth et al., Attribution of Climate Extreme Events, 5 NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE 725 (2015). 32 Nobuhito Mori & Tetsuya Takemi, Impact Assessment of Coastal Hazards Due to Future Changes of Tropical Cyclones in the North Pacific Ocean, 11 WEATHER AND CLIMATE EXTREMES 53 (2016). 33 IPCC WGII (2014), supra note 8, at 276. 34 Id. at 274-275. 35 Id. at 275. 36 Id. 37 Id. at 276. Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, Columbia Law School 9