President Marcos Jr. on Wednesday directed concerned agencies to ensure the Philippines’ more active participation in the Loss and Damage (LD) Fund Board and in international environmental events as these would “contribute to influential and resourceful actions in combating climate change in the Philippines.”
The Presidential Communications Office, in a social media post, said the President in his meeting with the Philippine Delegation of the Conference of Parties (COP28) led by Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, also ordered the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to improve the climate change mitigation efforts at the local government unit (LGUs) level and provide guidance and assistance to the areas that require it, as well as to strengthen programs that would reduce carbon emission.
“President Marcos ordered all agencies to ensure the country’s climate plans are considered in the different policies. The President also directed the country’s active participation in the Loss and Damage Fund Board. PBBM emphasized the government’s full-force action in reducing the country’s carbon emissions),” PCO said.
During the meeting, Loyzaga reported on the key outcomes of COP28 and presented the draft of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) Implementation Plan 2023-2030 and the Philippine National Adaptation Plan (NAP) 2023-2050.
Loyzaga, in her report, said the key outcomes of COP28 includes the improvement of energy capacity by 2030; transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems in a just and orderly manner; accelerating zero-and-low emissions technologies and reduction of emission from road transport; adopting the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Framework for Climate Resilience by 2030; commitment budget for LD Funds; operationalization of LD with the World Bank as Interim Hosting; and the call for scale-up in concessional and grant for climate change.
Loyzaga also reported on some of the “key wins” for the country which focused on the: nexus of biodiversity and climate action, inclusion of workforce as important implements, and the firm commitment to use available science, and emissions avoidance.
She also called for the adoption of both NAP and NDC as basis for climate, approval of the adaptation and implementation plans upon formal concurrence of relevant agencies for sectoral application, and urged agencies to mainstream both plans in the development planning and budget processes of the government.
Loyzaga requested actions from all agencies such as cascading NAP and NDC to national government agencies and local government units as inputs to policies, and strategically engaging the private sector and development partners to address adaptation, mitigation and disaster risk arising.
The President was supposed to attend the 28th annual United Nations climate meeting in Dubai in the UAE that was held from November 30 to December 12 but skipped the event due to “important developments in the hostage situation involving 17 Filipino seafarers in the Red Sea.”
Loyzaga instead represented Marcos.
