PH to push for support on destruction of biodiversity, species loss as member of L&D Board – Presidential Communications Office

The Philippines will prioritize calling for support for destruction of biodiversity and species loss in climate-change vulnerable countries as a member of the “Loss and Damage” Board, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said on Thursday

Loyzaga told the Palace briefing that these priorities align with the concerns that are being experienced in the Philippines as well.

“We are representatives here of the climate vulnerable ‘no po. So, we need to understand their particular situations, again – loss of land area, total destruction of biodiversity and of course the ecosystems that support them – these are species loss, for example; threat of extinction – these are areas wherein the Philippines is also particularly vulnerable and therefore we will be pushing for this type of sensitivities to be reflected in the guidelines of the board,” Loyzaga said.

Loyzaga said the Philippines also recognizes the possible need for migration by other nationalities whose areas or countries will be affected by the rising sea levels.

“For us at this point, we are very conscious about migration and how some countries are needing in fact to manage to retreat away from the sea but also to retreat to other countries wherein they might have to find new places to live,” she said.

Pledges for the Loss and Damage Fund is now a total of $792 million, exceeding its initial expectation of $200 million.

While the guidelines as to the utilization of the fund is yet to be defined, Loyzaga the body is proposing for World Bank to be its temporary receptacle of the fund.

“In other words, tagasalo lang po temporarily iyong World Bank until we can come up with the appropriate structure and organization arrangements for the administration of this fund,” she said.

“When the board organizes there will be a period wherein the guidelines and the particular operationalization will take place. Hopefully, we will know whether the World Bank will accept their role kasi po may conditions nga po iyan, they cannot for example apply their own rules to the fund – it has to be the rules that will be based on the UNFCCCs and agreements of the board.”

Loyzaga is hopeful that the