Govt, groups fill climate action gaps

A RECENT roundtable organized by the Climate Change Commission (CCC) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) provided a platform for participating organizations to strengthen the Philippines' climate mitigation and adaptation efforts. It took a step forward in accelerating support for the Nationally Determined Contribution Implementation Plan and the National Adaptation Plan.

The forum also identified key challenges like data and information gaps, financial constraints, capacity and training deficits, low public awareness and technological barriers. Participants stressed the urgency of localizing national climate plans to meet the specialized needs of local communities effectively.

Secretary Robert E.A. Borje, CCC vice chairman and executive director, also spoke of the importance of identifying strategic directions toward addressing climate and green financing gaps, and exploring sustainable coordination and reporting mechanisms between the Philippine government and its development partners.

The forum with the government’s development partners. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Development partners, such as the Asian Development Bank, British Embassy, German Development Cooperation, Global Green Growth Institute, Japan International Cooperation Agency and Korean International Agency, proposed solutions to address the aforementioned gaps. These included creating collaborative platforms, intentional programming, private sector engagement, and enhancing capacity and data management through robust partnerships.

Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga underscored the need for strong partnerships, saying that it is «essential to take stock and leverage support from international development partners that will complement domestic public financing and design the way forward.»

The forum was held in collaboration with the Department of Finance and the National Economic and Development Authority.

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