TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE  27 August 2019 – Local government leaders of the Yolanda Corridor expressed their commitment to respond to the prevailing climate emergency during the Communities for Resilience (CORE) Modular Training Rollout held last August 12-16, 2019 at Tacloban City, Leyte. Together with Climate Change Commission (CCC) Secretary Emmanuel De Guzman, Abuyog Mayor Lemuel Gin Traya, Dulag Mayor Mildred Joy Que, Tolosa Mayor Maria Ofelia Alcantara, and Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez signed the declaration entitled CORE Resolve of the Local Governments in the Yolanda Corridor to convey their resolve in ensuring an effective and collective response to the impacts of climate change in the country. The local leaders, in particular, vowed to support the strengthening of cooperation between and among the national and local governments and the science and academic community on mainstreaming climate change in local development planning; scale up climate resilience-building efforts at the local community level; and enhance their Local Climate Change Action Plans to become more responsive to the prevailing and emerging needs of communities. The CORE Modular Training Rollout is the CCC’s flagship capacity building program for local leaders and planners on mainstreaming climate change in local development and investment planning. This year, CORE aims to give preferential attention to local communities in the Yolanda Corridor, to coastal communities more vulnerable to rising sea level and salt water intrusion, and to indigenous peoples whose resilience to extreme weather events are compromised by weak and vulnerable livelihoods. “We only deem it fit to re-launch the CORE here in Tacloban, the ground zero of Yolanda. Tacloban, along with other cities and municipalities in the Yolanda corridor, showed us that climate change is no longer a mere specter on the horizon. It is happening now and it will only get worse with business as usual,” Secretary De Guzman said during the opening ceremony of the five-day training workshop. Tolosa Mayor Maria Ofelia Alcantara, meanwhile, expressed their gratitude to the CCC for the CORE rollout in their region. “We are really happy na nandito ang Climate Change Commission kasi ang Tolosa is a small municipality with 15 barangays with 21,000 population. 88 percent of our land area is agriculture, and we have a 76-hectare protected marine sanctuary. But ngayon, because of climate change effects, it has really gone down kaya we want this na mas makagawa ng adaptation programs and interventions para maiwasan na natin ang paglala nito,” she said. More than 39 representatives from the local government units of the Eastern Visayas Region, academic institutions, civil society organizations, and the private sector participated in the event, which included lectures on climate and disaster risk assessment process, greenhouse gas inventory, climate change expenditure tagging, and a workshop on project proposal development for the People’s Survival Fund (PSF). With the goal of widening the scope of technical support to LGUs for accessing the PSF, the CCC also launched the PSF e-learning platform during the workshop. The platform, which runs through an open source learning management system, enables the CCC to conduct a 12-week online course for LGUs and community organizations to enhance their knowledge on climate and disaster risk and vulnerability assessment, the PSF and its approval processes, and other sources of climate finance. There will be two batches per year, which will run from August-October and February-June. Details of the PSF e-Learning Platform and Mentoring Session are available on the CCC website [email protected], PSF website [email protected], and CCC’s Facebook and Twitter accounts. For inquiries, interested groups could contact the CCC-CCO PSF Unit at (02) 420-5513 or Telefax at (02) 420-5517, or via email at [email protected].

MANILA, Philippines 24 July 2019 – The Climate Change Commission (CCC) and Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. (AEV) have forged a partnership that will increase the adaptive capacity of local governments to climate change. CCC Secretary Emmanuel M. De Guzman and Mr. Sabin M. Aboitiz, AEV chief operating officer, signed yesterday the Memorandum of Understanding for the implementation of the CORE: Partnerships Towards Climate-Smart Philippines Program during a simple signing event held at the AEV Headquarters in BGC, Taguig City. The partnership is expected to accelerate the delivery of trainings on science and evidence-based climate and disaster risk assessments, enhancement of Local Climate Change Action Plans (LCCAP), and development of project proposals for the People’s Survival Fund, among others. It will also promote simple adaptation practices that readily build the resilience of communities to climate change. In a shared message during the signing ceremony, De Guzman noted that the Paris Agreement on Climate Change acknowledges the crucial role of non-state actors such as the business sector in advancing climate action. “Collaboration is at the heart of climate action and sustainable development. And I am confident that this collaboration between the CCC and Aboitiz will deliver the transformational change needed by our communities,” he said. Mr. Aboitiz, meanwhile, highlighted the crucial role of local governments in the country’s response to climate change. “Our approach is anchored in our belief that the growth of people and their leaders are fundamental to the development of our society and our country,” he said. AEV is committed to supporting the training of local communities in all their business locations, particularly in developing and enhancing the LCCAPs of their local governments, a deliverable asked by the Climate Change Act of 2009.

MANILA, July 24, 2019 --The Climate Change Commission (CCC) welcomes the policy pronouncement of President Rodrigo Duterte to advance rapidly renewable energy deployment and reduce the country’s dependence on coal for energy generation, a strategy aligned with achieving the goal of the Paris Agreement on climate change which the Philippine government ratified in March 2017.  “We recognize the urgent need to ensure the sustainability and availability of resources and the development of alternative ones. In this regard, I trust that Secretary (Alfonso) Cusi (Department of Energy) shall fast-track the development of renewable energy sources and to reduce dependence on traditional energy sources such as coal,” President Duterte said in his Fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA).  The presidential directive effectively sends a clear signal to policymakers, regulators, investors, and energy industry executives to promote and invest in more affordable, reliable, and cleaner power infrastructure, which in turn, builds diversity of electricity generation, and bakes in long-term energy sector price deflation. “The president’s SONA pronouncement on coal energy clearly conveys that the country is not only taking the low-carbon development pathway, but will also pursue it faster,” said CCC Secretary Emmanuel De Guzman. “This only means that the country shall pursue socioeconomic development in a manner that is clean, healthy, and sustainable for the Filipino people,” De Guzman explained. “This also means that technology development and transfer and investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency, the country’s energy sector’s transition as a whole, will have to take place in an accelerated manner.”  De Guzman also cited that the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 provides the legal and institutional framework necessary for harmonizing policies on the development of renewable energy technologies. The Act aims to enable the Philippines to move rapidly towards its goal by developing and utilizing resources such as solar, wind, hydropower, ocean and biomass energy. “Renewable energy can provide a major share of the Philippine electricity mix in a stable and reliable manner and at the same time increase energy self-sufficiency and reduce supply-related risks,” De Guzman said. “We must act swiftly to transform our energy sector and to deliver its socioeconomic benefits to the Filipino people as we also help achieve the 1.5C Paris goal.”  He referred to the Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius, noting that limiting warming to 1.5C entails dramatic emission reductions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by around 2050. This means there is a need to take advantage of the increasing availability of affordable, renewable and efficient energy solutions. He also shared that the 2017 climate policy study for the Philippines by the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities and the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis found that replacing imported diesel generation with renewables, especially solar and wind, in small islands can eventually save Filipinos PHP10 billion or roughly US$ 200 million per year. The Philippines’ total installed power generating capacity continued to grow from 22,728 megawatts in 2017 to 23,815 megawatts in 2018, according to the DOE Philippine 2018 Energy Situation. It added that coal-fired power plants constitute the largest share of the installed and dependable capacity in 2017 with 8,049 megawatts and 8,844 megawatts in 2018. Among renewable energy technologies, hydropower maintains the highest share (1,134 megawatts), wherein the majority comes from the Mindanao Grid. “According to our review, energy efficiency is the easiest and often cheapest way to reduce the need for expansion of coal power generation. And with the country’s energy demand projected to increase by 80 percent between 2017 and 2040, improving energy efficiency in the building sector would be our best course to reduce emissions,” De Guzman said. Since 2016, the CCC has been facilitating a national policy review and framework development on energy, through a whole-of-nation approach, in order to develop a clear policy on coal-fired power plants in pursuit of a low carbon development pathway for the country. “The President’s policy pronouncement comes in a crucial time when we are finalizing our country’s first Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), our commitment under the Paris Agreement, due for submission this year,” De Guzman explained.  The CCC has been working closely with all government agencies and civil society in defining the targets and pathways for the country’s low-carbon development from now until 2040. At present, the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) is revisiting the Philippine Development Plan and Ambisyon Natin, as well as completing its economic modelling for the NDC by September 2019. The CCC also supports NEDA, DOE, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of Trade and Industry, the lead agencies of government for the NDC sectors, in whole-of-government-and-society efforts to transition our economic sectors into a green economy.

MANILA, July 22, 2019 — The Climate Change Commission (CCC) will ensure that more climate change adaptation projects of the local governments can be supported by the People’s Survival Fund (PSF) with the launch of the free PSF e-Learning Platform and Mentoring Sessions in August at the rollout of the Communities for Resilience (CORE) Modular Training for the Yolanda Corridor. The move affirms the Duterte administration’s commitment to strengthen the country’s resilience to the devastating impacts of climate change, said CCC Secretary Emmanuel De Guzman. “Climate resilience is at the heart of the Duterte Administration’s development agenda. This inspires us in the CCC to come up with innovative solutions that will enable more local government units (LGUs) to implement community-led adaptation initiatives,”De Guzman said. Passed into law as Republic Act No. 10174 in 2012, PSF is a national funding mechanism in support to LGUs in implementing climate change adaptation projects. It maintains an annual allocation of one billion pesos.   “CCC has accelerated the implementation of its CORE Program in the past years to help LGUs develop and enhance their Local Climate Change Action Plans (LCCAPs) and to assist PSF project proponents develop science and risk-based adaptation funding proposals,” said CCC PSF Unit head Assistant Secretary Romell Antonio Cuenca.   Since the PSF grant approval and disbursement system was established, the PSF Board has approved six climate change adaptation projects amounting to P330 million. They are the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Response as Coping Mechanism to Resiliency in Lanuza, Surigao del Sur; Siargao Climate Field School for Farmers and Fisherfolks in Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte; Building Resilience through Community-based Ecological Farming in San Francisco, Camotes Island, Cebu; Promoting Resiliency and Climate-Informed Gerona, Tarlac; Establishment and Sustainable Management of River Ecosystem in Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte; and Saub Watershed Ecosystem Rehabilitation and Flood Risk Reduction for Increased Resilience in Sarangani. Cuenca explained that most of the proposals received by the PSF Board Secretariat at the Department of Finance have been either business-as-usual projects or those kinds usually funded under regular programs of national government agencies, and not climate change adaptation which the law asks; thus, the low-approval rate. “This year, we are working towards widening the scope of technical support to LGUs for accessing the PSF. An e-learning platform has been developed, and a series of one-on-one mentoring sessions is set for the third quarter. They aim to improve the soundness and worthiness of submitted proposals and to assist LGUs in develop full-blown proposals from their concept notes,” Cuenca said. The PSF e-Learning Platform, which runs through an open source learning management system, will be conducted via a 12-week online course for LGUs and community organizations to enhance their knowledge on climate and disaster risk and vulnerability assessment, the PSF and its approval processes, and other sources of climate finance. There will be two batches per year, which will run from August-October and February-June. Employing the latest information technology, Cuenca said, the CCC is also launching the PSF Monitoring and Evaluation System where proponents can track their proposals and submit documents online. In this manner, he said, the process of accessing the fund becomes easier and more convenient and with lesser costs to the proponents. The system will also ensure a more efficient and transparent evaluation and approval process for PSF grants. Details of the PSF e-Learning Platform and Mentoring Session are available on the CCC website [email protected], PSF website [email protected], and CCC’s Facebook and Twitter accounts. For inquiries, interested groups could contact the CCC-CCO PSF Unit at (02) 420-5513 or Telefax at (02) 420-5517, or via email at [email protected].  

MANILA, July 17, 2019 — More local governments will receive training on local climate change action planning this year, the Climate Change Commission (CCC) reveals today as the Pre-SONA forum concludes in Davao City.  This year’s rollout of the Communities for Resilience or CORE Modular Training Program for local government units (LGUs) will commence in August. “It’s a good time to resume training LGUs following the assumption of newly elected local officials many of whom demonstrate a strong resolve to pursue climate action and environmental protection,” Climate Change Secretary Emmanuel M. De Guzman said. More than 80 LGUs are expected to benefit from the training and to deliver enhanced Local Climate Change Action Plans (LCCAPs) which the Climate Change Act of 2009 asks of every LGU.  Based on Department of the Interior and Local Government’s latest count, 1073 LGUs now have LCCAPs, a hundred fold increase from 137 in 2015. “There is greater awareness now among local authorities on the importance of LCCAP in ensuring community resilience to climate change and sustainability of local investments,” said CCC Strategic Partnership Division Chief Alexis Lapiz. CCC and DILG are set to issue this year a joint memorandum circular to LGUs on establishing the quality assurance review system for LCCAP.  This year’s first wave of CORE training in August will benefit all LGUs in Yolanda Corridor. The second wave will assist vulnerable coastal municipalities in Luzon in September, while the last wave shall help muslim and indigenous peoples communities in Mindanao in October.  “We give preferential attention to the new poor in Yolanda Corridor, coastal communities more vulnerable to rising sea level and salt water intrusion, and indigenous peoples whose resilience to extreme weather events are compromised by weak and vulnerable livelihoods,” De Guzman said on the priority target areas for this year’s CORE rollout. Since the launch of its CORE Program in 2016, CCC has trained 124 LGUs on enhancing LCCAPs and 133 faculty members from state universities and colleges across the country on standard modules for mentoring local planners. They include modules on climate and disaster risk assessment, greenhouse gas accounting, climate budget tagging, and PSF project proposal development. CORE trainings are expected to be in full swing next year to cover the rest of the country. “Networking state universities and colleges and higher education institutions is key to the sustainability of CORE as a capacity building program for LGUs. This is why we are forming multi-stakeholder consortiums among NGAs, SUCs, private universities, and research institutes.” De Guzman said. “This way, we strengthen the cooperation between national and local governments and the science and academic community on mainstreaming climate change adaptation and mitigation in local development planning,” he added. “As we celebrate in October our 10th year anniversary as an institution, CCC endeavors to present more knowledge and learning exchange platforms for our LGUs so they can readily apply adaptation solutions and good practices and strengthen the resilience of our communities which are at the forefront of climate change impacts,” De Guzman said. To sustain peer-to-peer learning among LGUs on climate change adaptation and mitigation and disaster resilience, CCC and DILG are jointly holding the 3rd National Convention on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction during the national observance of the Climate Change Consciousness Week in November.  

MESSAGE   Strengthening local risk governance is key to strengthening disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) in the country. Therefore, in observance of the National Disaster Resilience Month, the Climate Change Commission (CCC) calls for greater cooperation between national government agencies and local government units in enabling and facilitating risk-informed local development planning, emergency preparedness and response planning, and impact-based forecasting and multi-hazard early warning for early and effective community action. As the climate emergency exacerbates disaster risks and threatens to erode our hard-earned development gains, the CCC will be relentless in our efforts to ensure the integration and coherence of climate action and DRRM at all levels in the country.   With this greater task at hand, the resolve of our President Rodrigo Duterte to uplift the quality of life of the Filipino people and  to build the resilience of our communities to climate change will keep us in the right direction. His marching order is very clear: Making the Philippines climate-resilient and disaster-ready is a top priority of the government.    SECRETARY EMMANUEL M. DE GUZMAN Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Climate Change Commission MANILA 09 July 2019

The Climate Change Commission (CCC) strongly supports the call of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte for ASEAN countries to play its active and leadership role in addressing climate change in the global community and stand for climate justice. In his statement during the 34th ASEAN Summit Plenary in Bangkok, Thailand early this month, Pres. Duterte urged ASEAN member countries to make developed countries accountable for climate change, and to assist adapt and build our resilience by advancing initiatives that care for the people and the environment.  “Cooperation is key. We highly support the President’s call upon ASEAN countries to join forces in calling out industrialized nations to counteract the threat of climate change. We need to send a very clear signal to the international community that ASEAN leaders are taking decisive climate action,” CCC Secretary Emmanuel M. De Guzman said. De Guzman stressed that the contribution of countries to climate change, and their capacities to survive its consequences, varies enormously. With innovation of their more advanced mechanisms, developed nations tend to emit more carbon footprints than those of the developing ones.  Furthermore, with little to no resources, vulnerable and developing countries will find it unviable, if not difficult, to catch up from these fast-progressing nations. This shows the need for developed countries to provide technologies and investments, in the form of climate finance, to developing countries as part of their mitigation efforts. The most vulnerable countries, like the Philippines, that are least responsible for the climate crisis always carry the heaviest burden. In the recent Global Peace Index 2019 report, Philippines was listed as the most vulnerable to climate risks in terms of its overall natural hazard score, followed by Japan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and China. “We maintain that those with historical responsibility must shoulder the far greater burden of acting faster, sooner, and with far bigger accountability of keeping the long-term temperature goals to no higher than 1.5 degrees Celsius. Otherwise, it's all hypocrisy from rich countries that have benefited the most from the burning of fossil fuels which heightened climate change,” he added.  

PASIG CITY 11 June 2019 – Highlighting the need to mobilize climate finance to enable the translation of the country’s climate goals and needs into action, the Climate Change Commission (CCC) urged financial institutions to provide innovative solutions and investment models that will spur financing on green, climate-smart, and sustainable projects during the Roundtable Dialogue on Climate Finance held recently at the Discovery Suites, Ortigas Center. The dialogue organized by the CCC with the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat brought together senior representatives from the government, banking sector, private sector associations, multilateral and bilateral agencies involved in the mobilization and delivery of climate finance. Discussions focused on the role of public finance and private sector investments in the implementation of the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement, which is now being finalized through a whole-of-government-and-society approach being facilitated by the CCC. Mr. Daniele Violetti, Director for Finance, Technology and Capacity Building of the UNFCCC Secretariat, emphasized that 2019 is a critical moment for countries to raise targets ahead of implementation starting 2020. “It is our last opportunity to enhance action in the pre-2020 period. It also hounds the roles of the new rounds of NDCs, making 2019 the year to ensure that these new or updated NDCs reflect the increased ambition needed to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement,” he said.   In urging financial institutions to ramp up financing for climate change adaptation and mitigation, Climate Change Secretary Emmanuel M. De Guzman said that the government is addressing the shortage of risk information in the country in order to de-risk investments. “We are working on the establishment of a National Integrated Risk Information System, an integrated platform that will converge all available vulnerability and risk information in the country. This will be made accessible to all stakeholders, including the financial and private sector,” De Guzman said. “In addition to that, we are also assisting the Office of Civil Defense in developing loss and damage registry and protocols for valuation and validation, which could provide the insurance sector with a better picture of risk prevalence,” he added. Climate Change Commissioner Rachel Herrera, National Focal Point to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), noted that climate finance is currently limited in terms of availability. “There is no other recourse but to be strategic in terms of funneling in climate finance from various sources and channeling them to those who need it the most,” she said. Herrera said that the CCC, as the Philippine National Designated Authority (NDA) to the GCF, is seeking funding under the Readiness and Preparatory Support Program of the GCF to establish a monitoring and verification system of climate finance flows in the Philippines. Herrera also shared that the GCF Technical Working Group, a group established by the CCC to review and assess the technical merits of the funding proposals submitted to the NDA, is now deliberating two multi-country funding proposals that aim to leverage GCF funds in order to attract more private sector investments through equity sharing and de-risking of renewable energy projects. “This is an indicator of the private sector confidence in investing in the Philippines for energy efficiency and renewable projects,” she said.  

Makati City, Philippines 10 June 2019 – “We are now living in a period of exponential transformation. We’re seeing the beginnings of a radical change in the world’s energy system,” Secretary Emmanuel M. De Guzman of the Climate Change Commission (CCC) said as he urged chief executive officers to join the green energy revolution during the CEO Forum on Financing Government Energy Efficiency Projects held in Dusit Thani Manila recently. Citing a report released by the International Renewable Energy Agency, De Guzman said that the decade-long trend of strong growth in renewable energy capacity continued in 2018. “As total global renewable energy generation capacity reached 2,351 gigawatts at the end of last year, renewable energy now accounts for a third of global power capacity ,” he noted. Attended by business leaders, government officials, and civil society, the forum which was organized by the European Union-supported Access to Sustainable Energy Programme and the Department of Energy aims to facilitate discussions on key issues and challenges in implementing energy efficiency projects. In his keynote address, De Guzman challenged business leaders to invest in clean and green infrastructure and practices including energy efficiency and renewable energy. He noted that the energy sector has consistently accounted for a significant percentage of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions and, therefore, offers the highest mitigation opportunity for the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution for the Paris Agreement.   “Energy efficiency is the easiest and often cheapest way to reduce the need for expansion of power generation. And with the country’s energy demand projected to increase by 80 percent between 2017 and 2040, improving energy efficiency in the building sector would be our best course to reduce emissions,” De Guzman said. De Guzman added that renewable energy can provide a major share of the Philippine electricity mix in a stable and reliable manner and at the same time increase energy self-sufficiency and reduce supply-related risks. “There is no debate that coal is the most carbon-intensive of all fossil fuels. It brings serious public health, ecological, and economic risks to the country,” he explained. “Renewable energy now presents the biggest opportunity for local investment,” he added.  

MANILA, 7 June 2019 – The Climate Change Commission (CCC) reiterated its call for countries, especially the developed nations, to ramp up climate action efforts and to deliver more ambitious commitments to mitigation with utmost urgency and equity. CCC Secretary Emmanuel M. De Guzman said the Philippines, being one of the most vulnerable countries that bear the brunt of the devastating effects of climate change, will continue to actively pursue climate action in the context of climate justice. “We support the statement of President Rodrigo Duterte, our chairman in the Commission, that all governments must do their fair share in combating the climate crisis,” De Guzman said. “Unfortunately, global action has been slow. The Philippines has been actively pursuing climate action, but largely on our own efforts and resources. We have no choice but to act, and sometimes we have bilateral partners to thank for when they give some help. With the unrelenting impacts of climate change in our communities, we must do all we can to survive and thrive as a people and nation,” he continued. In his visit to Tokyo, Japan earlier, President Duterte stressed in his speech that the Philippines has demonstrated leadership in global consensus to fight climate change, adding that the climate negotiations would hold and undertake real action, especially by those most responsible for this momentous problem. “There is indeed a need for clarity of commitments by all countries on mitigation and climate finance. It’s time to raise the profile of climate issues and radically step up our efforts. We need real action and accountability from the developed countries that is primarily responsible for the climate crisis. This has been the negotiation stance of the Philippines in calling for more ambitious and faster climate action by. This has also been the essence of our fight for the 1.5oC global warming limit,” De Guzman said. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) special report on a 1.5 degrees warmer world released last year paints a grim scenario of the worst impacts of climate change such as the increasing risk to drought, flood, extreme heat and poverty for hundreds of millions of people. It underscores the most urgent need for rapid global action. World leaders have only 12 years to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 45% of 2010 levels if they want to limit global warming to 1.5oC. More than 195 countries, including the Philippines, that have ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change are meeting annually at the Conference of Parties since 1995 to take stock of their progress, monitor the implementation of their obligations and continue talks on how best to tackle climate change. It is, therefore, important for the Philippines to participate and to be at the forefront of the international efforts to address climate change. De Guzman explained that, in the global community, the Philippines is highly regarded as a leader of the climate vulnerable developing countries (CVF), as it championed and upheld the endeared principles on climate justice, human rights, ecosystems integrity, gender, grant-based climate finance, loss and damage, and comprehensive disaster risk management, to mention a few areas of discourse for the Paris Agreement on climate change. “In accordance with the Paris Agreement, climate finance, capacity building, and technology transfer from the developed world must clearly come to our shore, considering that the country has been in the frontline of climate impacts,” De Guzman said. The next round of climate talks will be held in Santiago, Chile in December where countries will work on the progress of climate action. “All countries must exhibit leadership and deliver on commitments. Let us step up our global climate action toward securing a climate-safe future,” De Guzman said.

Manila, Philippines 24 May 2019 – The Climate Change Commission (CCC), pursuant to law, is updating the National Climate Change Action Plan 2011-2028 (NCCAP) with a whole-of-government-and-society approach. “We are updating the NCCAP to advance climate actions based on the country’s current development priorities, climate finance strategies, and research and development needs,” CCC Secretary Emmanuel De Guzman said. When completed, the updated NCCAP will articulate two component plans: the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) that presents the climate actions in seven priority areas, and the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) that defines the country’s pathway for low-carbon development consistent with the 1.5°C long-term temperature goal of the Paris Agreement. Guided by the President’s policy direction to address climate change without impeding the country’s economic development, De Guzman said the NDC will serve as a ready reference for investments in innovative and transformative low-carbon projects for the country’s green economic growth and sustainable industrial development. “Although we emit only less than half of one percent of the global emissions, submitting an ambitious NDC in  the context of our national capability and circumstance is critical in enjoining other nations to heed the call for urgent and ambitious action,” De Guzman said. “We will pursue mitigation as a function of adaptation, which is the country’s anchor climate action strategy,” he added. Aside from the NCCAP and NDC, the CCC is also fast-tracking the development of standards and certification system for providing incentives to enterprises that generate and sustain green jobs, pursuant to its mandate under Republic Act No. 101 or the Philippine Green Jobs Act of 2016.  CCC is also developing a framework for mainstreaming culture-sensitive climate actions of indigenous peoples’ communities in local development plans. All these government initiatives are further strengthened by the 2019 General Appropriations Act (GAA), which contains over 30 general and specific provisions that mainstream and advance the country’s climate and disaster resilience agenda. “Since 2014, our annual budget laws have included general and specific provisions that mainstream and advance the country’s climate and disaster resilience agenda,” De Guzman noted. “This year’s budget law is no different. It reiterates the mandates and responsibilities of agencies under the country’s landmark laws on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction,” he added. One of the special provisions of the 2019 GAA is for the Department of Education to ensure the integration of climate change adaptation, mitigation (CCAM), and disaster risk reduction (DRR) in the regular subjects in both public and private schools. To ensure that the CCAM and DRR measures are appropriate and responsive in the light of intensifying natural hazards, this year’s budget law also requires multi-scenario, probabilistic risk analysis for all national government projects to be implemented. Pursuant to this, the CCC recently adopted the National Climate Risk Management Framework—an approach for the systematic generation, consolidation, and exchange of climate risk data and information to inform national and local development and investment planning. Another vital provision of the 2019 GAA is the establishment of multi-hazard impact-based forecasting and early warning systems, including the development and enhancement of protocols for early warning and early action. Related to this, the  CCC is facilitating the development of a national integrated risk information system that is accessible to all stakeholders and a national loss and damage registry that uses standard metrics and protocols for valuation and validation. “This year is another busy year for the Commission. In pursuit of our mandates under the law, the CCC will continue to ensure the efficient, effective, and synergistic implementation of climate actions at the national and local levels,” De Guzman said.

Manila, Philippines 23 May 2019 – The Climate Change Commission (CCC), pursuant to law, is updating the National Climate Change Action Plan 2011-2028 (NCCAP) with a whole-of-government-and-society approach. “We are updating the NCCAP to advance climate actions based on the country’s current development priorities, climate finance strategies, and research and development needs,” CCC Secretary Emmanuel De Guzman said. When completed, the updated NCCAP will articulate two component plans: the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) that presents the climate actions in seven priority areas, and the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) that defines the country’s pathway for low-carbon development consistent with the 1.5°C long-term temperature goal of the Paris Agreement. Guided by the President’s policy direction to address climate change without impeding the country’s economic development, De Guzman said the NDC will serve as a ready reference for investments in innovative and transformative low-carbon projects for the country’s green economic growth and sustainable industrial development. “Although we emit only less than half of one percent of the global emissions, submitting an ambitious NDC in  the context of our national capability and circumstance is critical in enjoining other nations to heed the call for urgent and ambitious action,” De Guzman said. “We will pursue mitigation as a function of adaptation, which is the country’s anchor climate action strategy,” he added. Aside from the NCCAP and NDC, the CCC is also fast-tracking the development of standards and certification system for providing incentives to enterprises that generate and sustain green jobs, pursuant to its mandate under Republic Act No. 101 or the Philippine Green Jobs Act of 2016.  CCC is also developing a framework for mainstreaming culture-sensitive climate actions of indigenous peoples’ communities in local development plans. All these government initiatives are further strengthened by the 2019 General Appropriations Act (GAA), which contains over 30 general and specific provisions that mainstream and advance the country’s climate and disaster resilience agenda. “Since 2014, our annual budget laws have included general and specific provisions that mainstream and advance the country’s climate and disaster resilience agenda,” De Guzman noted. “This year’s budget law is no different. It reiterates the mandates and responsibilities of agencies under the country’s landmark laws on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction,” he added. One of the special provisions of the 2019 GAA is for the Department of Education to ensure the integration of climate change adaptation, mitigation (CCAM), and disaster risk reduction (DRR) in the regular subjects in both public and private schools. To ensure that the CCAM and DRR measures are appropriate and responsive in the light of intensifying natural hazards, this year’s budget law also requires multi-scenario, probabilistic risk analysis for all national government projects to be implemented. Pursuant to this, the CCC recently adopted the National Climate Risk Management Framework—an approach for the systematic generation, consolidation, and exchange of climate risk data and information to inform national and local development and investment planning. Another vital provision of the 2019 GAA is the establishment of multi-hazard impact-based forecasting and early warning systems, including the development and enhancement of protocols for early warning and early action. Related to this, the  CCC is facilitating the development of a national integrated risk information system that is accessible to all stakeholders and a national loss and damage registry that uses standard metrics and protocols for valuation and validation. “This year is another busy year for the Commission. In pursuit of our mandates under the law, the CCC will continue to ensure the efficient, effective, and synergistic implementation of climate actions at the national and local levels,” De Guzman said.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES 09 May 2019—In observance of the Month of the Ocean, the Climate Change Commission (CCC) called for united action to halt the worsening state of our marine ecosystems by minimizing plastic pollution. The Philippines is known for its rich marine ecosystems but is also one of the major sources of plastic trash in the world, contributing almost three million metric tons of plastic wastes and 500,000 metric tons of plastic waste leakage per year. In a report released by the Ocean Conservancy, the Philippines was among the top plastic-waste producers in the world alongside neighboring Asian countries, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Thailand.  “Heathy oceans are critical to the global fight against climate change inasmuch as climate action is needed to protect our oceans. It is in this spirit that the CCC echoes the call to protect our oceans by eliminating plastic waste and plastic pollution,” CCC Secretary Emmanuel De Guzman said. A study conducted by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, in partnership with the World Economic Forum, predicts that there could be more plastics than fish in the ocean (by weight) by 2050.  According to the report, the worldwide use of plastic has increased 20 fold in the past 50 years and it is expected to double again in the next 20 years. “As the fight for climate action and ocean protection becomes one and the same, it is high time for concerned sectors to demonstrate real leadership in reversing the plastic crisis,” De Guzman said.  De Guzman urged the private sector and concerned government agencies to step up with innovative, game-changing, and sustainable measures that would eliminate problematic or unnecessary single-use plastic packaging and substantially reduce plastic waste leakage into our oceans. “There is no silver bullet to protect our oceans and our climate against plastic pollution. We need all sectors to work together to come up with concrete and systematic solutions at the soonest possible time,” he added. De Guzman also urged the public to veer away from the throwaway culture by reducing, reusing, and recycling plastics. “Let us start making choices today that save our oceans and our climate from plastic wastes,” he said. The Month of the Ocean is celebrated annually in the Philippines during the month of May by virtue of the Presidential Proclamation No. 57 issued in 1999.   

DAVAO CITY 8 MAY 2019 – More than 35 representatives from the Local Government Unit (LGU), academe, and private sector participated in the three-day Greenhouse Gas Inventory (GHG) training for LGUs and stakeholders conducted by the Climate Change Commission (CCC) on 30 April to 02 May 2019. Among the participants were the officials and personnel from the City Administrator’s Office, Office of the City Planning and Development Coordinator (OCPDC), City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO), City Engineering’s Office (CEO), City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO), DENR-EMB Regional office, Ateneo De Davao University, and Aboitiz Power Company.  The training workshop highlighted the importance of “community-level inventory” which accounts the carbon footprint within the geopolitical boundary of the city. The workshop also explained how to integrate GHG inventory on the local planning process of the LGU. Using the said framework, participants were able to identify possible emission data sources from the agriculture, forestry, waste, land use, and energy and transport sectors, and gave close attention on the GHG emission from the industry sector. Davao City’s actual data for each sector were used during the emission calculation exercises. This is to give the participants a deeper understanding and appreciation of the process and its outcomes. “This new knowledge and skills that we learned can help improve the Davao City’s disaster risk reduction management. If we have this GHGI, we could craft specific projects that will reduce emissions… and eventually reduce the national hazards produced by climate change. We would also like to thank the Climate Change Commission for this training. We will use this knowledge for the betterment of our city,” said Davao CTTMO representative.  This GHGI workshop was requested by the Davao City LGU officials to enhance further the city’s Local Climate Change Action Plan (LCCAP), and improve their adaptation and mitigation actions, in support of the creation of a Technical Working Group (TWG) on climate change through Local Executive Order No. 40 last January 2019.  

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.

Every March 22, we raise the profile of water in the global agenda, challenging us to spur action on ensuring the safety and sufficiency of freshwater and sanitation for all. This year's World Water Day is about tackling the water crisis and the reasons why so many people are being left behind. Safe water and sanitation are both necessary for societies to achieve resiliency and sustainability. To echo the statement of the United Nations Water, water is the primary medium through which we will feel the effects of climate change. Water availability is becoming less predictable in many places, and increased incidences of flooding threaten water sources and sanitation facilities. Population growth, rapid urbanization, and climate change have aggravated the already strained water resources. On this day, we rise to the challenge of Leaving No One Behind, the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The theme highlights the importance of advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources and advancing initiatives aligned with the goal of the Paris Agreement of limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 °C. As stated in the IPCC Special Report, limiting global warming to 1.5°C is projected to lower the impacts on terrestrial, freshwater and coastal ecosystems, and will retain more of their services to humanity. Pursuing this Paris goal also reduces the proportion of the world population exposed to climate change-induced·water scarcity by up to 50%. With this, the Climate Change Commission calls on government agencies, stakeholders, development partners and individuals to go beyond raising awareness and to make a remarkable difference in our communities and our planet through collective climate actions. SECRETARY EMMANUEL M. DE GUZMAN Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Climate Change Commission

On March 21, 2019, delegates from Bhutan, Mongolia, Philippines, and Vietnam signed a Declaration on South-South Cooperation to access climate finance, particularly the Green Climate Fund (GCF), and to combat climate change. The declaration was signed during the South-South Learning Exchange towards Accessing the GCF, which was organized by the Climate Change Commission (CCC), through the GCF Readiness Programme and in partnership with the Resources, Environment and Economics Center for Studies (REECS), held in Quezon City on March 20-21. “Through this declaration, we express our commitment to address climate change and pursue green growth by sharing knowledge and best practices among fellow climate-vulnerable countries, and as one, to call for increased project and programme development support from the GCF for adaptation and mitigation priorities of our communities,” said Climate Change Commissioner Rachel Anne S. Herrera. Read the declaration in full.

On March 21, the world observes the International Day of Forests with the theme, “Forests and Education.” The observance seeks to raise awareness on how sustainably managed forests provide a wide array of contributions to building a climate-resilient human society and a sustainable future for all. Forests cover one third of the Earth’s land mass, performing vital functions around the world. According to the United Nations, around 1.6 billion people including 2,000 indigenous cultures depend on forests for their livelihood. On this momentous day, we, in the Climate Change Commission, encourage all national and local government officials, stakeholders, and development partners to double their efforts and to raise awareness on the importance of sustainably managed forests. With strong leadership, sense of urgency, and true commitment to a decisive multilateral response, we could save our deteriorating forests. We should recognize that maintaining the pristine state of our forests and its multiple economic and environmental values is crucial in attaining climate resiliency and sustainable development. Now more than ever, enhancing understanding and awareness on the importance of forests through education defines the future of the people and the planet. May this celebration inspire us to take a more active role in our collective mission of advancing education on protecting and preserving our forests towards achieving a climate-resilient Philippines. SECRETARY EMMANUEL M. DE GUZMAN Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Climate Change Commission

Climate Change Commissioner Rachel Anne S. Herrera said that shifting investments towards low carbon development is an opportunity for growth that is already encouraged by our laws and national plans. Herrera made the statement in her keynote speech at the Shifting Financial Flows to Invest in Low Carbon Development in Energy in Eastern Visayas, held in Tacloban and organized by the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), in cooperation with the Climate Change Commission (CCC), Visayas State University’s Strategic Research and Development Studies, and Action for Economic Reforms. “The Philippines should exercise leadership by not further contributing to global warming and this climate crisis. Shifting towards low carbon development is not detrimental to our economy, but in fact, an opportunity for growth to those willing to take it,” Herrera said. Herrera mentioned that an estimated $4.12 billion is required to carry out the low carbon development initiatives under the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) in the areas of green technology innovations, energy efficient technologies, climate-smart infrastructures and designs, and green urban transport systems. She also cited laws that already encourage low carbon development, such as the Green Jobs Act of 2016, which supports the transformation of sectors through the creation of green jobs and just transition towards a green economy; and the Renewable Energy Law of 2008, which advances the development and use of renewable energy in the country. Herrera also commended the Eastern Visayas as a region whose energy mix has significant contribution from geothermal and a growing share from solar energy, as well as the recent declaration of Negros Occidental as a source of clean and renewable energy and a coal-free province. “Let us use these good practices as a stepping stone in creating small island RE grids and in diversifying our energy mix even more by replacing fossil and coal with cleaner energy technologies,” Herrera said. Herrera also assured that the Climate Change Commission, as the lead agency for the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) process and as the National Designated Authority (NDA) to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), will further enable the transition towards a low carbon economy, but noted that the help from all sectors will be crucial to its success. “Your government cannot enable this shift alone. As we put in place the right conditions to attract domestic and foreign low carbon investments, our financial institutions and private banks must sustain and escalate this green growth to reach new heights,” Herrera concluded. For reference: Commissioner Rachel Anne S. Herrera's Keynote Speech

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (21 February 2019) – Employees of the Climate Change Commission (CCC) participated in the “duck, cover and hold” exercise on Thursday afternoon (February 21, 2019) for the first quarter nationwide simultaneous earthquake drill. The simultaneous earthquake drill was initiated by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to raise awareness on what to do and what to avoid during and after an earthquake to prevent injury and eventualities as well as to test the response plans of agencies should an earthquake occur. Led by CCC Secretary Emmanuel M. De Guzman, all employees were also instructed to move out of the building upon hearing the siren, which lasted for about 30 seconds. They moved at the nearest exit in an orderly manner and gathered in a safe area for evacuation and head count. CCC Secretary De Guzman said that through this exercise, it would further strengthen disaster preparedness through public participation to minimize risks during an earthquake.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES 11 February 2019 – The Climate Change Commission commends the Local Government of Davao City for the creation of a Climate Change Technical Working Group that will facilitate the updating of the city’s Local Climate Change Action Plan (LCCAP). “This move shows the resolve of the city government to mainstream climate change mitigation and adaptation in the city’s local development plans, and to adopt methods for monitoring carbon emissions from its various sectors through a local greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory system,” Climate Change Secretary Emmanuel De Guzman said. The Climate Change Act of 2009 requires all local government units (LGUs) to craft an action plan to build the adaptive capacity and resilience of communities to the impacts of climate change. However, according to the data from the Department of Interior and Local Government-Bureau of Local Government Supervision, only 1,073 out of 1715 local government units have LCCAPs as of 2018. “More than being a requirement of the law, creating an action plan should be a moral responsibility for local leaders. Non-action on climate change is an injustice to the poor and the most vulnerable who are the most affected by disasters and the long-term impacts of the planet’s warming,” De Guzman noted. Davao City’s recent efforts to update its LCCAP are expected to strengthen ongoing climate actions in the city, particularly the projects under its Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Kitakyushu in Japan on the establishment of a Green Sister City Cooperation. The partnership aims to develop both cities as world-class communities through effective and mutually beneficial cooperation on clean and green initiatives, such as resource cycling and capacity building. “The Commission lauds Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio for her leadership in pursuing the kind of development for Davao that will lead its rapidly growing economy and urbanized population towards resilience and sustainable development,” De Guzman said. “We encourage more cities and municipalities to follow suit and intensify their efforts on building strong and climate-smart communities,” he added.