Gov’t urged to identify climate change projects that need funding

Sen. Loren Legarda, UN Global Champion for Resilience, said the government should identify programs since the Paris treaty allows the country access to international climate finance mechanisms. (Photo: Senator Loren Legarda/ Facebook)

MANILA–With the Paris Agreement on Climate Change set to enter into force this week, a Senator on Wednesday urged the government to identify climate change projects that need funding.

Sen. Loren Legarda, UN Global Champion for Resilience, said the government should identify programs since the Paris treaty allows the country access to international climate finance mechanisms.

“We can acquire support from developed countries for adaptation, mitigation, technology development and transfer, and capacity building,” Legarda said.

“These could help finance the development and roll out of our early warning systems, comprehensive risk assessment and management tools, and other capacity-building projects and programs that would make our communities more resilient to climate change,” she added.

Legarda also said that the local climate change action plans (LCCAP) of all cities, municipalities, and provinces in the country must be fast as they were tools to access grant-based funding from international climate funds.

“We must build capacities of local communities to adapt to climate change impacts and eventually contribute to mitigation,” Legarda, chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change, said.

The senator, meanwhile, expressed excitement for the Paris treaty entering into force in the Philippines on Earth Day on April 22.

“Earth Day will once again be historic for the Philippines as it will mark the commencement of the Paris Agreement’s legal force and effect in our country,” Legarda said.

“It will also mark a great start to our journey towards a resilient and sustainable future,” she added.

Legarda stressed that the entry into force would mean that the Philippines will no longer be “just an observer” in the next meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement but a participant.

“We need to exercise governance, oversight, leadership and decision-making in the implementation of the Agreement,” she reiterated.

To recall, the Philippine Mission to the UN deposited the country’s Instrument of Accession to the UN Treaty Section on March 23, 2017. It will enter into force for the Philippines on Earth Day on April 22.