Is the PH ready to commit to a net-zero target?

THE Philippines is increasingly at the forefront of discussions on climate change and sustainability, given its unique geographical characteristics, socioeconomic context and vulnerability to climate impacts. As the country aspires to achieve a low-carbon economy, it faces numerous challenges, ranging from economic dependencies to governance issues.

Although the Philippines contributes minimally to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounting for just 0.41 percent from 1990 to 2021, it ranks among the lowest per capita emitters in Southeast Asia. The country's location in the Pacific typhoon belt makes it susceptible to frequent, devastating typhoons and rising sea levels. Recent extreme weather events, including Typhoons Carina, Enteng and Julian, have underscored the nation's vulnerability and intensified efforts to combat climate change.

In April 2021, the Philippines submitted its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, committing to reduce its GHG emissions by 75 percent by 2030 compared to a business-as-usual scenario, contingent on international support. This commitment represents a significant step toward recognizing the necessity of transitioning to a more sustainable, low-carbon future. However, achieving net-zero emissions will require overcoming considerable challenges that intertwine economic development, social equity and governance.

In his keynote address during the First Philippine Net Zero Conference 2024 last month at Power Plant Mall, Makati City, Federico Lopez, chairman and chief executive officer of First Philippine Holdings, emphasized that the journey to net zero must occur in three phases. The first is reducing the current level of GHG emissions of 59 gigatons per year and reaching peak emissions by 2025. The second is eliminating all GHG emissions to achieve net zero by 2050, and the third is reducing GHG concentration in the atmosphere to attain net negative emissions.

With the conference theme «Strengthening Resilience: Scaling the Philippine Private Sector's Net Zero Ambitions,» he further noted that progress toward net zero encompasses many facets beyond energy,