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122 JUDIT FARKAS Two case studies Anthropologists are convinced that their discipline reguires relevant knowledge to enable them to contribute to contemporary environmental problems. With their help, one can describe "how the Anthropocene and climate change appear from a non-European, non-metropolitan perspective” (Cs. Mészáros 2019: 153). Below, I summarize two case studies which exemplify this conviction. The first example concerns the attitude of two fishing communities, San Andres and Olo-olo in the Philippines, to changes in the climate and the environment, with the help of Katharine L. Wiegele’s research (2019). Both villages are situated next to the Verde Island Passage, the world’s most important marine ecological zone, part of the Coral Triangle. u nn Figure 1. Fishermen from the Philippines. Source: https://i2.wp.com/philnews.ph/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/fishermen-1.jpg The two communities are affected differently by the impacts of environmentalism (education, protected areas), tourism, proximity to industry, state of terrestrial and marine habitats, and use of fishing methods. Some of the people live by fishing. They roam the seas by ships, so it is vital for them to have reliable circumstances, to guarantee a sure haul. Others live from farming and only fish from small boats for their own consumption. Yet the customary, safe natural circumstances are just as important for them as for the professional fishermen. In recent years, however, grave changes have occurred: the long peaceful period suitable for fishing is disappearing, the weather is unreliable, the arrival of tornadoes is incalculable, and life is further aggravated by extreme heat waves and drought. The presence of fish has also become spotty: sometimes they do not appear for weeks, or even months, during the fishing season. Besides, the sea level is constantly rising, already threatening homes. The experiences about nature and livelihood which were valid for many generations in the past do not work anymore.
