The Climate Change Commission joins the 8th National R&D Conference to reinforce  whole-of-government efforts in research, development, and innovation for addressing climate-induced disasters.

MANILA - The Climate Change Commission (CCC) underscored the critical role of science-based data and research and development (R&D) in building a climate-resilient nation and protecting national wealth during the 8th National Research and Development Conference organized by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

In recent weeks, extreme weather events such as intensified southwest monsoons and tropical cyclones Crising, Dante, and Emong have caused widespread flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage across the country. These climate-induced disasters led to the suspension of classes and work in the government, with cascading effects on productivity and economic stability.

Climate analytics indicate that the cost of inaction on climate change may reach critical level by 2030: infrastructure damage could exceed PHP 300 billion; productivity losses due to extreme heat may surpass PHP 400 billion; business interruptions could amount to PHP 528 billion; and relocation-related costs for displaced communities may reach up to PHP 8.9 billion. 

CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert E.A. Borje emphasized the urgent need for robust R&D to address the far-reaching consequences of climate impacts.
“Resilience is one of our key responses to protect our economy from the impacts of climate change. The National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and the Nationally Determined Contribution Implementation Plan (NDCIP) are two critical frameworks the government has put in place to meet these challenges,” Borje said.

The NAP, developed under the leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., aims to steadily reduce climate-related loss and damage and enhance the country’s adaptive capacity, targeting transformative resilience and sustainable economic development by 2050.

Meanwhile, the NDCIP places research, technology, and innovation at the core of the country’s mitigation strategy to ensure that emission-reduction efforts also protect livelihoods, ecosystems, and infrastructure.

In his address, Borje called for a transdisciplinary approach to climate resilience, underscoring the importance of collaboration across diverse fields of expertise.

“We need civil engineers working alongside economists; climate scientists partnering with social innovators and community leaders; data experts collaborating with agricultural specialists and urban planners,” he said.

The conference convened key DOST agencies, including the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), and Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD), to support a whole-of-government push for R&D and innovation under the theme: “R&D Building Better Lives: Leveraging Transdisciplinary R&D for Well-Being, Wealth Creation, Wealth Protection, and Sustainability.”

The CCC reaffirmed its commitment to collaborate with government agencies, the private sector, the academe, and communities to advance a science-based, inclusive, and forward-looking approach to addressing the complex and interconnected challenges posed by climate change.
 
For more information on the CCC’s climate mainstreaming activities, visit www.climate.gov.ph and www.facebook.com/CCCPhl