Low Carbon News in Philippines in April 2016
7 April 2016
Briefing paper: On alert: the Philippines and climate change
We’re hearing increasing concern and alarm about the Philippines’ high vulnerability to climate-related risks and it’s coming from various corners – the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Manila’s own Asian Development Bank as well as multiple ‘climate risk indexes’.
They all believe the Philippines’ future is at great danger from increasingly frequent extreme weather events – particularly typhoons – strong sea level rises as well as outbreaks of mosquito transmitted diseases.
In light of these dangers, the Philippines led the charge and headed a new negotiating bloc of 44 ‘vulnerable countries’ at December’s UN climate talks in Paris. They argued for the inclusion of a warming limit of 1.5C rather than 2C in the final negotiating text, which was eventually adopted in the Paris Agreement.
Source: https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/on-alert-the-philippines-and-climate-change
18 April 2016
Climate Change Commission says PHL energy policy needs review
The Climate Change Commission (CCC) on Monday (April 18, 2016) said the government should review its energy policy to step away from the use of coal and tap more renewable resources to meet the country’s power supply requirements.
“Updating our roadmap to massively favor clean sources will allow the Philippines to be at the forefront of this aggressive and massive trend of investment and transition from fossil to renewable energy. This allows the Philippines to not only contribute to global efforts to combat climate change, but reduce growing economic and financial risks associated with carbon-intensive energy sources, such as coal,” said Secretary Emmanuel de
18 April 2016
ADB pushes low carbon development plan for Asia
The Asian Development Bank urged countries in the Asia-Pacific region to start the transition to a low carbon energy future to combat climate change and achieve sustainable green growth.
The multilateral lending institution said without a proactive action to reduce carbon emissions, the region would easily account for more than 40 percent of global emissions in the next decade.
The Philippines was among the countries that adopted the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change that covered a 1.5-degree Celsius warming cap for countries.
Source: http://www.philstar.com/business/2016/04/18/1573888/adb-pushes-low-carbon-development-plan-asia
21 April 2016
DENR’s Paje to deliver PH statement at Paris Agreement signing – See more at:
Philippine Senator Loren Legarda, United Nations Global Champion for Resilience, addressed members of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) in a meeting at the UN Headquarters Wednesday, April 20.
Two days ahead of the High-Level Signing Ceremony for the Paris Agreement in New York, Legarda said that CVF member states must unite in ensuring the early entry into force of the Agreement. Legarda is also co-Head of the Philippine Delegation along with Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje.
27 April 2016
Drones help Philippines farmers tackle climate disasters
The Philippines and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have started the use of unmanned aerial drones to assess farmlands which are at risk from natural disasters.
To this end, two drones have already been sent over the country to assess the current El Niño conditions.
About 25 FAO and government technical experts will be deployed across the archipelago to support the mission. They were recently trained over three weeks on how to fly the vehicles.
Source: http://www.eco-business.com/news/drones-help-philippines-farmers-tackle-climate-disasters/
28 April 2016
DENR top official: Next admin must support Paris Agreement on climate change
It is important that the incoming administration supports the advocacies of the recent Paris Agreement in order to properly address the issue that concern climate change, environment and natural resources undersecretary Jonas Leones pointed out at yesterday’s Kapihan sa Manila Bay media forum held at Café Adriatico in Malate, Manila.
According to Leones, the gathering at the United Nations in Paris made other advances toward dealing with climate change but economists and scientists say governments are still moving too slowly to map out a long-term future free of coal, oil, and gas — even as rising temperatures and melting polar ice unleashes havoc in real-time.
29 April 2016
To protect Philippine forests, may the “tribal force” be with you
Indigenous people in the Philippines are calling on the government to authorise a force of tribal rangers to help preserve the country’s forests and curb climate change.
Forest management and protection are an important part of the Philippines’ strategy to reduce its carbon emissions by 70 per cent by 2030, a commitment made for the new global agreement on climate change reached in Paris last December.
Source: http://www.eco-business.com/news/to-protect-philippine-forests-may-the-tribal-force-be-with-you/