March 24, 2019 Sunday
PASIG CITY, METRO MANILA 25 March2019 –To mainstream climate change adaptation and to increase the quality and quantity of climate change reporting in the country, the Climate Change Commission, journalists and communication officers agreed to collaborate and come up with proposed communication strategies during the 7th National Panel of Technical Experts’ (NPTE) Forum held recently at the Development Academy of the Philippines, Ortigas Center, Pasig City.
“Despite the government’s campaign to raise awareness on climate change, numerous warnings from the scientific community, and the availability of scientific studies online and through media coverage, it has yet to break through in terms of effectively changing people’s behaviour or ways of doing things,” said CCC Secretary Emmanuel M. De Guzman on his opening remarks speech.
With the theme, “Strengthening Media Capacity in Communicating Climate Change,” this NPTE Forum aims to bridge the communications gap between and among climate experts, the Philippine media and communications officers in reporting climate change-related issues. The workshop also aimed at strengthening the capacity of our media in effectively communicating climate change to the policymakers and to the general public.More than 30 journalists, communications officers and government information officers participated in the NPTE workshop with the media.
“People are aware of the concept of climate change but they lack understanding on the phenomenon. More work needs to be done in making our people understand that failure to act swiftly on climate change will result in unprecedented loss and damage and pose as existential threat to humans and societies,” he added.
The forum, moderated by Mr. Ludwig Federigan of CCC, highlights the presentations of the NPTE members, Dr. Laura David and Dr. Rosa Perez, on climate science and climate projections. Mr. Arnold Belver from CCC also shared the country’s position on the recently-concluded Conference of Parties (COP24) and the importance of the successful implementation of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to climate resiliency and sustainable development.
Dr. David explained that the Philippines, as an archipelagic country, musttake actions on coastal area management and harness the ocean as a renewable energy source.
In pursuing the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement on climate change, Dr. Perez stressed that the window of opportunity to achieve this goal is slowly closing, and our lack of strong political will hinder us in addressing climate change.
A panel discussion was also participated in by experts such as Dr. Leoncio Amadore, Dr. Rodel Lasco, Dr. David and Dr. Perez about the outcome of the COP24 international climate change negotiations and on how experts and media can improve their partnership in communicating climate change.
Participants also joined the group activity, facilitated by Ms. Imelda Abaño, the President of the Philippine Network Environmental Journalists, on how to address the communication gaps, solutions on how to increase the quality and quantity of climate change reporting, innovative tools and ways to present climate change that the public best understand. The participants agreed to collaborate with the CCC in mainstreaming climate change adaptation by continuously participating in the activities of the CCC and joining in capacity building activities for the media.
Dr. Glenn Paraso, one of the NPTE, reiterated in his closing remarks the importance of collaboration between the government, experts and the media in effectively communicating climate change to the public.
