PHL to pursue green growth to eliminate threat of climate change
With climate change making its presence felt worldwide, the government is pursuing a policy of low-carbon growth to sustainably pursue economic development while at the same time keeping greenhouse gas emission in check.
This was disclosed by Sec. Mary Ann Lucille L. Sering, in her message before participants in the ADB-sponsored Workshop on Strengthening Planning Capacity for Low Carbon Growth in Developing Asia: Philippine Capacity Building Workshop held recently at its headquarters in Manila.
According to Sering, the government sees green growth as a relevant approach to sustainable economic growth for the country to reduce poverty, achieve social progress, protect the environment and diminishing natural resources, and adapt and mitigate the impacts of changing climate.
“However, there is strong evidence that climate change is indeed happening. And this is because of the accumulation of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) in the atmosphere from human activities,” Sering said. She said that GHG emissions have been increasing by 1.6 per cent annually over the last three decades.
She said that while the Philippines is not much of an emitter, at least by global standard as the Philippine's GHG emission is only .01% of Global GHG Emission. “However, the country is pursuing a low carbon growth roadmap through the formulation of strategies on mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. In the NCCAP (National Climate Change Action Plan), mitigation is seen as a function of adaptation through the co-benefits that climate change opportunities provide, Sering said.
She said that mitigation actions are done as a poverty alleviation tool. Such key results areas under this road map include Energy Efficiency and Conservation, Renewable Energy, Environmental and Sustainable Transport, Sustainable Infrastructure, Climate-Smart Industries and Services, formulation of a REDD Plus strategy, and waste management.
“Harnessing technology for mitigation actions will be a key priority with the objective of being a hub for manufacturing clean technology in the Region,” she said. “There is a challenge on integrating low emission capacity building projects and providing an institutional structure for a Sustainable National GHG Inventory Management System in the country.”
_______________
July 26, 2012
