Introduction:TheClimateChangeCommission

TheClimateChangeCommissionisthesolepolicy-makingbodyofthegovernmentwhichshallbetaskedtocoordinate,monitorandevaluateprogramsandactionplansofthegovernmentrelatingtoclimatechangepursuanttoRepublicAct9729.

Amongitsmainfunctionsare1)creationofenablingenvironmentforthedesignofrisk-sharingandrisk-transferinstruments,2)promotemulti-stakeholderparticipationandintegrationofclimatechangeadaptationandmitigation,3)formulatestrategiesonmitigation,4)formulationandupdatingofguidelinesindeterminingvulnerabilities,andcoordinate,facilitatecapacity-buildingactivitiesandprovidetechnicalassistancestolocalunits,especiallytothoseinvulnerablecommunities.

Actionstowardaddressing/managingenvironmentalandsocialrisks

InclosecoordinationwithothernationalgovernmentagenciesworkingtowardsenvironmentalsustainabilityandbasedonthestudiesandreportsofPAGASA,theUniversityofthePhilippines,andtheGlobalAssessmentReportonDisasterRisk

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Reduction,environmentalandsocialrisksaremostevidentindevelopingcountrieslikethePhilippines.

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Inthatcontext,theCCClaunchedandimplementedtheCommunitiesforResilience(CORE):ConvergenceProgramwhichaimstostrengthentheplanningcapacityoflocalgovernments,andtoachieveoverallresilienceofcommunities.

ThroughtheCOREProgram,theplanners,policy-makers,localcommunityorganizationsandtheacademeareputtogethertoprovideholisticandsustainablesolutionstoaddressenvironmentalandsocialrisks.

AmongitsmodulesarethePeople’sSurvivalFund(PSF),theClimateChangeExpenditureTagging(CCET),andtheGreenhouseGasInventory(GHGI).

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ThePeople’sSurvivalFund

Inordertomanagerisks,thefundsneededtoimplementclimatechange-relatedactivitiesareofutmostimportance.ThePSF,throughRA9729,provides1Bpeso-granttofinancelocalclimatechangeadaptationprojectsofLGUsandorganizations.

ProjectsproposedtoaccessPSFarebasedonRisksandVulnerabilityAssessments(RVAs)and/orLocalClimateChangeActionPlans(LCCAPs).Therefore,toavoidmaladaptation,projectsshallbescienceandevidence-based,andsoproperaccountingofrisksandvulnerabilitiesisrequired.

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TheClimateChangeExpenditureTagging

Onewaytomonitortheextentoflocalgovernmentunits’effortsinaddressingtheimpactsofclimatechangeisthroughplanning,implementationandcompletionofclimatechangeprograms,projectsandactivities.

Tomeasuretheengagementsoflocalgovernmentunitsandnationalgovernmentagenciesinclimatechangeadaptationandmitigation,expendituretaggingthroughtheAnnualInvestmentPlans(AIPs)hasbeenconducted.

ThroughtheCCET,thegovernmentcaneasilytagareasorsectorswhichneedmorefinancingtosupporttheirclimatechange-relatedefforts.

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TheGreenhouseGasInventory

InadditiontothePSFandCCET,localgovernmentunitswerealsotaughthowtoquantifytheiremissionsandidentifymitigationoptionsatthelocallevel.

BeingabletoquantifytheemissionsofanLGUwithinitsjurisdictionisalsoonewayofmeasuringtheirrisks.Ontheotherhand,theinventoriescanalsobeusedtosupporttheirproposed/plannedmitigationoptions.

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Summary

Thegoaltowardsresilientcommunitieswillalwaysrequirewhole-of-nationapproach.Althoughthegovernmentseemsmorefocusedoncapacitatinglocalgovernmentunitsandorganizations,wealsonotetheimportanceofengagingthoseinthecorporateworld.

Indeed,theClimateChangeCommissionrecognizestheimportanceofengagingwitheveryoneinriskandvulnerabilityidentificationtoadaptation,mitigationandriskmanagement,andkeyplayersmustnotjustbethoseinthegovernment,butthoseintheprivateaswell.

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