The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has partnered with the Manila Observatory (MO) for the establishment of baseline data on environment and natural resources through a climate change information system.
A memorandum of agreement signed by the parties calls for the creation of a digital database with climate and environment layers is expected to form part of the DENR’s climate change information management system (CCIMS) and its other information systems including the DENR Control Map and the River Basin Information Management System.
MO will be co-designing the database with the DENR, using atmospheric and earth sciences, remote sensing technologies as well as space and satellite technology applications to utilize science on various environmental concerns.
The DENR said the database will contain interactive and downloadable maps on climate change scenarios for temperature and rainfall; hydrometeorological hazard spatial data and maps; exposure spatial data and maps; associated vulnerability data and maps; climate risk maps based on the confluence of hazards, exposures and vulnerabilities; and climate change impacts information.
The DENR will provide relevant information on climate and environment, such as the geographic information system, field data, drone images and other needed reports to contribute to the development of the systems and tools.
The DENR and MO also plan to make CCIMS available to the public for the use of local government units and other national government agencies, the academe, civil society organizations and the private sector, among others.
MO is a non-profit research institution which has been studying Philippine weather patterns and earthquakes since the Spanish colonial times.
