PH calls for sustainable development in climate change meet

Philippine delegates at a climate change convention in Germany called for urgent and transformative climate action.

According to a statement by the Presidential Communications Office on Thursday, Vice Chairperson and Executive Director of the Climate Change Commission (CCC) Secretary Robert Borje, who was also the co-head of the Philippine delegation, called for progress towards enhanced resilience and low-carbon, sustainable development. 

He also tackled the importance of stronger and sustained climate action “rooted in science, evidence, and indigenous and local knowledge.”

In the convention, Philippine delegates also encouraged building on COP28 outcomes, including the Global Stocktake (GST-1) results, the UAE Global Climate Resilience Framework, and the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund. 

“The Philippines has aligned its economic and prosperity agenda with climate change goals, making climate change integral to national policies, guiding, planning, implementation, and multi-level decision-making,” the statement read.

“The Philippines has been calling for a collective action to close mitigation and adaptation gaps and support the development and implementation of NAPs and NDCs by developing nations, urgently operationalize the Loss and Damage Fund, and carry out the Just Transition Work Programme to uphold human rights, create green jobs, enhance livelihoods, and develop green and blue economies,” it added.

The Philippines was the third ASEAN country, 56th worldwide, to submit a National Adaptation Plan (NAP) to develop “a fit-for-purpose, science and evidence-based strategic adaptation actions” in sectors affected by climate change.

The country is currently working on the NDC Implementation Plan, Just Transition Work Programme, Biennial Transparency Report, Long Term Strategy, and NDC updating. 

In 2023, the Philippines placed first among countries with the highest disaster risk exhibiting complex interactions of multiple exposures and high intensities due to climate change. A report by the Philippines Country Climate and Development suggested that it will impact 7.6%, or up to P1.4 trillion, of the Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030, and will raise up to 18 to 25% by 2050.

Climate change will primarily cause losses of up to P365 billion in infrastructure due to climate-induced disasters, up to P466 billion in productivity losses due to extreme heat, P527 billion due to business interruptions, and  up to P8.9 billion due to relocation-related costs.

The 60th Sessions of Subsidiary Bodies (SB60) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is being held in Bonn, Germany from June 3 to June 13. —Jiselle Anne Casucian/LDF, GMA Integrated News