October 15 is the deadline for nominations of individuals and organizations to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Green Champions Awards. The Green Champions GCF Awards will recognize outstanding individuals and organizations that are driving climate transformation, as well as promote initiatives that stand as examples of environmental, social, and business-led commitments to combat climate change. This includes activities that limit or reduce greenhouse gas emissions and those that encourage adaptation to climate change impacts. The categories are as follows: 1. Climate Youth Champion - Individual, aged 25 years below, who is making a difference in responding to the climate challenge. 2. Climate Gender Champion - Individual who has a track record in emphasizing the inclusiveness of women in climate action. 3. Climate Community Champion - Individual or organization that is central to a community’s engagement with climate action. 4. Transformational Country Champion - Individual or organization in a developing country that has made notable progress in pursuing national interaction with the GCF. 5. Climate Entrepreneur - Individual or organization making successes in bringing the private sector into climate finance. 6. Climate Lifetime Achievement Champion - Individual who is a recognized trailblazer in promoting climate action. If you want to nominate outstanding Filipino individuals and/or organizations in any of the categories, please do so through the GCF Green Champions Awards website via: https://awards.greenchampions.online/ Let us support our deserving fellow Filipinos and organizations by making their efforts to drive climate ambition and action known by the global community!
Is the country really taking climate change as a serious threat, especially since the Philippines is considered to be one of the most vulnerable countries in the world when it comes to global warming? Watch Commissioner Noel Antonio V. Gaerlan as he highlights the Philippines' staunch commitment in pushing our climate agenda forward here at home and in the international climate negotiations. Please click here to see the video.
DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY, September 26, 2019 – The new landmark report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – the Special Report on Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC) – emphasizes the need for decisive, urgent and more ambitious action to address the intensifying impacts of climate change in the ocean and cryosphere. In a joint press briefing conducted by the Climate Change Commission, Rare Philippines and the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, National Panel of Technical Experts (NPTE) member, Ms. Lourdes Tibig, the only Filipino among the 104 scientists, 19 of which came from developing countries, from 36 countries around the world of the landmark report, shared that “only transformative governance that integrates a variety of strategies and benefits from institutional change reduce risk posed by the changing climate”. “We need to change practice, process and structure which consider equity and co-benefits appropriate to the issue at hand,” Ms. Tibig said. Millions of people and species benefit from the oceans and cryosphere – the frozen parts of the planet. Drastic climate changes in these ecosystems poses threat to their existence disrupt biodiversity therein. The Philippines, most of its communities are situated in coastal areas, will not be spared from the horrifying impacts of rising sea levels brought by climate change. According to PAGASA, our seas are nearly double the global average rate, and therefore, are at higher risk of coastal flooding, sea salt contamination of ground water, beach erosion, and storm surges, among other impacts of climate change. From 1951-2015, observed temperature rise in the Philippines is warming at an average of 0.1°C per decade. By 2100, average mean temperature could rise by as much as 1.3°C to 2.5°C for a moderate emission scenario, and by as much as 2.5 to 4.1C for a high emission scenario. The release of the SROCC strengthens the Philippine leadership stand and policy advocacy on the pursuit of the global warming threshold and long-term temperature goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels enshrined in the Paris Agreement. Moreover, the report shows the importance of building and enhancing the adaptive capacity of individuals and communities of the most vulnerable countries amidst the impacts of climate change, which the country is already doing. “We contributed next to nothing to the climate change problem, yet we suffer the brunt. Nevertheless, we are making a stand because we believe that a resilient low-carbon future is the only pathway that will secure inclusive, enduring development for all. There is no excuse for inaction. It is our moral and intergenerational responsibility to build the capacities of our communities to these impacts and to take greater steps to protect our oceans,” CCC Commissioner Rachel Herrera said. Immediately after the briefing, the Climate Change Commission will provide a more localize viewpoint of the IPCC Special Report to the public, and share the highlights of the Report to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, chairman of the Climate Change Commission, to the members of the Cabinet, and leaders across the country. “We shall ensure that this latest climate science will inform government processes on policymaking, development planning, and programming of service delivery, pursuant to the laws of the land,” said Herrera.
Commissioner Rachel Herrera's CNN Interview on the United Nations Climate Change Summit in New York. Please click here to see the video.
The process of Nominations for membership in the Climate Change Commission’s National Panel of Technical Experts is now open. The Climate Change Commission formally invites government agencies and offices and other relevant stakeholders to nominate professionals on each of the following fields of expertise : a. Climate investment and finance - covers expertise on financial risk analysis and climate risk investment; economic modelling of climate change impacts; economic analyses of regulatory climate change-related policy instruments b. Sustainable energy - covers expertise on how climate intersects with energy industry in terms of energy regulation, efficiency, and sustainability c. Civil or environmental engineering - covers expertise on any of the impacts of climate change; resilience for climate adaptation; hydrologic modeling and dynamic simulation; coastal processes and engineering; remote sensing of the environment; advanced water treatment processes; industrial ecology and techno-economic assessment; resource recovery; development of environmental remediation techniques; or sensing of pollutants in the environment d. Climate policy and environmental law - covers expertise on laws, regulations, agreements, and common law that governs management of natural resources, protection of the environment, and regulation of climate change impacts Potential candidates for the Panel must be nominated by an academic or research institution, government agency, civil society group or private organization duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and should meet the minimum requirements as follows: a. Filipino Citizen b. Has a proven credible track record in his/her field of expertise, preferably with at least ten (10) years of experience in his/her field of expertise c. Has consistently supported the development of his/her field of expertise in the country d. Preferably has an advanced relevant university degree e. Preferably has relevant peer-reviewed research publications in the last 10 years The recruitment and selection of members of the NPTE are carried out with the utmost professional and ethical standards observed by the Climate Change Commission. Moreover, the evaluation process and results prior to the appointment of selected members are considered confidential. The Commission welcomes your nominations and extends its warmest regards for your continued support towards promoting urgent action in the face of climate emergency. Deadline for submission of nomination letters is on 16 October 2019. Please contact the NPTE Secretariat at (02) 364-1204 or send an email to npte.secretariat@gmail.com for further inquiries.
