The Climate Change Commission is encouraging non-government organizations with existing projects in rural communities on the use of agricultural waste and biomass for small-scale, waste-to-energy projects for off-grid areas to open projects in other areas in anticipation of an increase in investments in agribusiness.

In a report to President Benigno Aquino III made by Commission Vice Chair Mary Ann Lucille L. Sering after attending the Annual Carbon Expo in Barcelona, Spain recently, she said that Bunge, a leading agribusiness and food company in Germany, is interested in investing in agribusiness in the Philippines.

According to Sering, once this investment plan of Bunge pushes thru, she anticipates an increase in the generation of farm waste.

“This is good for the rural economy not only because of the job opportunities the venture would create but also because we can sell the carbon credits we earn from converting wastes into energy to greenhouse gas emitting countries,” Sering said.

She said that Pangea, a subsidiary of Bunge, is interested in purchasing future carbon credits from the community-based renewable energy projects being promoted under the NCCAP (National Climate Change Action Plan).

“Although carbon credits will only incrementally finance projects, it will nonetheless help facilitate projects that will not only reduce emissions but also provide other co-benefits such as improved economic productivity through the introduction of technologies especially in agriculture, Sering added.

Sering explained that the community-based renewable energy project is one of the programs identified under the NCCAP that will primarily benefit rural communities engaged in agriculture.

“The NCCAP seeks to promote climate-resilient agriculture to help create “green jobs” in the rural areas and at the same time, help the farmers respond to climate impacts,” Sering said.

Department of Labor and Employment statistics show that agriculture is the country’s second largest employer but is prone to economic shocks and extreme weather events.

The annual Barcelona carbon expo is the world's leading trade fair and conference for climate and carbon finance, emissions trading and carbon abatement technologies, jointly organized by the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA), the World Bank and Fira de Barcelona.

About 280 exhibitors and 3,000 participants participated in the event which also serves as a venue to explore the detailed development of carbon markets worldwide and interrelated policies that will shape the international climate regime of the future.

Second Consultation Series on Vulnerability Assessment Tools on Climate Change

August 2, 2011 (Tuesday)/ Mabini Social Hall, Malacanang

Climate Change Commission successfully launched the consultation series last June 2011. This second series was focused on vulnerability and risk assessment tools for the agricultural sector. This second series was held on August 02, 2011 at Mabini Social Hall, Malacanang, Philippines.

Agriculture remains the country’s backbone for the sustainable attainment of food security. This sector is also greatly vulnerable to climate change especially due to the increased occurrences of El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and La Nina events, bringing drought and extreme rainfalls respectively. Agriculture, being strongly dependent on water resources and climatic conditions, and crop production, being extremely sensitive to large year-to-year weather fluctuations, will greatly affect the country’s production and have a domino effect of our target to self sufficiency by 2013.

To provide appropriate and effective adaptation to climate change, we need to understand the impact of climate change to the agriculture. Assistant Secretary Maria Bernardita T. Flores of the National Nutritional Council presented the Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information and Mapping System (FIVIMS). FIVIMS is a system or network of systems that assembles, analyzes and disseminates information about people who are food insecure or at-risk.

Series #3 - Consultation on Vulnerability & Risks Assessments Tools Towards a Climate Resilient Philippines: MDG-F Program Outcome on Sectoral Climate Risk Reduction Tools for Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment and Socio-Economic Impact Assessment

August 22, 2011 (Monday)
Bureau of Soils and Water Management Conference Room, Elliptical Road cor. Visayas Ave., Diliman, Quezon City

The Philippines has made a number of strategic advances towards the achievement of the (MDGs), especially MDG 7 on environmental sustainability. Recently, however, due to emerging climate change pressures, a number of threats are challenging the achievement of the MDGs, which includes lack of tools and systems to enable appropriate planning and implementation of climate change adaptation.

For more information and/or confirmation of attendance, contact (02)7361171/ 7351171/ 7353069 or email Ms. Pebbles Sanchez (pebsanchez@yahoo.com).

Series #4 – Consultation on Vulnerability and Risks Assessments Tools Towards a Climate Resilient Philippines: VA Tools For Fisheries, Coastal and Marine

October 24, 2011 (Monday) * 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Mabini Social Hall, Malacanang Compound, San Miguel, Manila

Background and Rationale:

With about 30,000 km stretch of coastline in the Philippines’ coastal communities is one of the most vulnerable to the promise of climate change – accelerated rise in sea level. Coastal and marine ecosystems are very vital to the Philippines – serving as a base for human settlements; accommodates a number of major industrial, commercial, social and recreational activities. About 63% of the country’s provinces as well as two-thirds of its municipalities are located in the coastal zones. Due to the ecosystem’s inherent wealth and opportunities, coastal areas have high population densities, where people are driven by subsistence and survival and thus engage in unregulated activities. Consequently, the constant and heavy exposure to numerous pressures – both artificial and natural has taken its toll on the ecosystems. These exposures lead to increasing risk to the adverse impacts of climate change to the coastal and marine sector.

For more information and/or confirmation of attendance, contact (02)7361171/ 7351171/ 7353069 or email Ms. Pebbles Sanchez (pebsanchez@yahoo.com).