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PHILIPPINE WATERS WILL BENEFIT FROM ADOPTION OF CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION MEASURES – SEC LITO ATIENZA
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Former President Fidel V. Ramos (center) lead the Philippines and international leaders in supporting the protection of the seas of the East Asia. Pres. Ramos underlines the partnership with various stakeholders, especially local government units, in restoring the coasts of East Asia where 1.5 billion people reside and depend for livelihood. Joining Pres. Ramos in opening the 3rd East Asian Seas Congress are DENR Secretary Lito Atienza (3rd from right), who leads the event’s organizing committee, and (from left): DENR Undersecretary Demetrio Ignacio, Singapore Ambassador A. Selverajah , UNDP Resident Representative Jacqueline Badcock, PEMSEA Council chair Chua Thia-Eng and PEMSEA Executive Director Raphael Lotilla.
Eleven countries in the East Asia region have pledged to strengthen and improve their cooperation in making their coasts and oceans resilient to climate change as they signed the Manila Declaration on the implementation of integrated coastal and ocean management and adaptation to climate change.
The Philippines as well as our neighbor East Asian countries are climate change hotspots and highly vulnerable to the effects of global warming. It is imperative that we protect, conserve and sustainably use our rich natural resources, especially our coastal and marine resources.
The Manila Declaration was adopted on Nov. 26 at the culmination of the five-day East Asian Seas Congress held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Manila.
The 11 countries participating in the Partnerships in the Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) and have signed the declaration were Cambodia, China, DPR Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, RO Korea, Singapore, Timor-Leste, Vietnam and the Philippines.
By signing, the countries have jointly pledged to intensify cooperation and engage involvement of local government units within all member countries to enhance capacity of coastal communities to adapt to climate change.
Through the Manila Declaration, these governments have expressed concern towards the region’s vulnerability to various impacts of climate change which include frequent and extreme weather events, flooding, water shortage, acidification of oceans and seas, salt water intrusion and sea level rise.
In addition, the region’s marine ecosystems continue to be threatened by uncontrolled development of coastal areas, poverty, resource degradation and marine pollution from land and sea-based sources.
The governments have also recognized that integrated coastal management (ICM) is a valuable tool in achieving sustainable development and climate change adaptation and committed to work together constructively to meet their regional targets to implement ICM programs in at least 20 percent of the region’s coasts and adopt national coastal and ocean policies in 70 percent of the countries by 2015.
It is very critical for governments to give attention not only on the impacts of climate change but also on the role of oceans and coasts in climate change. Healthy and productive coastal ecosystems play a major role in mitigating the effects of climate change in coastal communities.
The coastal and marine environments of East Asia occupy over 70% of the globe and 95% of the biosphere. They sustain 30% of the world’s coral reefs and mangroves and produce about 40% of the world’s fish catch and 84% of world’s aquaculture. They also represent one of the world’s centers for tropical marine biodiversity.
Coastal ecosystems include mangrove forests, seagrass meadows, algal mats and coral reefs which absorb carbon. Oceans, on the other hand, function as giant carbon pumps which take carbon from and release to the atmosphere.
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ATIENZA URGES ASIAN COUNTRIES TO GO GREEN
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Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Lito Atienza (right) receives a certificate of recognition from United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Director General Kandeh Yumkella in appreciation for the Philippine hosting of the International Conference on Green Industry in Asia, spearheaded by the DENR. The conference, which concludes Friday (Sept. 11), is being held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila. Providing support to the confab, which seeks to discuss how industries in the Asian region can manage the transition to resource efficient and low carbon process, are UNIDO, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).
I am urging all Asian countries to “go green” since greening our industries presents numerous opportunities like generation of jobs for the people while increasing the region’s competitiveness in the world market. Countries that are able to go green earlier and faster will have the market advantage and achieve global competitiveness over those who come later.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is spearheading the International Conference on Green Industry in Asia, which opened the other day at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Manila.
The 3-day conference is jointly implemented by the Philippine government, through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).
During my speech, I took note of the world’s most pressing problems – the global financial crisis and global warming.While both problems arose independently from each other, they cannot be solved separately. Green growth should be the common solution, and this 3-day conference provides an opportunity for Asian leaders to work out a strategy to start and go faster for a green growth.Business and environment are not contradictory. Environment makes good business sense and business can be good for the environment.
I appealed to Asian leaders against the temptation of holding on to the conventional attitude of “grow now, clean later” in the region’s effort to come out of the global financial crisis. We need to grow and solve our economic problems in an environmentally-sustainable manner. We also need to protect our environment in ways that will create jobs, income, and economic growth.
The transition to a green growth is critical for Asia on two grounds. First, the region is home to many of the fastest-growing economies, which indicates that greenhouse gases may also be growing faster. Second, the impact of climate change threatens the region’s economic growth and may bring miseries to the people.
A 2009 study of the World Bank which indicated that many countries in the region are among those most at risk in the world on the impact of climate change, such as Bangladesh, China, India, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam on flooding; the Philippines, Bangladesh, Vietnam, China and Fiji on storms; India on drought; and Indonesia, China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and other low-lying islands on sea level rise.
Citing the country’s unique and important biodiversity, it goes without saying that the Filipino nation cannot allow climate change to destroy our natural resources and heritage … and negate our desire to give a better life for our people.
The government has passed laws to promote green industry, among which are in the areas of clean air and hazardous wastes, the Biofuels Act and the Renewable Energy Act.
The Philippines is also active in the development of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects which are intended to reduce or prevent greenhouse gases. We now have 39 CDM projects, making the Philippines rank no. 6 in the world in terms of the number of projects registered with the CDM Executive Board in Germany.
Asian ministers forge Manila Declaration on Green Industry
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Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza, (center in Barong Tagalog ) leads the Asian Ministers in the call for a unified ASIAN cooperation for an energy and resource efficient and low carbon industries in Asia towards the achievement of a greener economy. Also in photo are Secretary Peter Favila of Department of Trade and Industry (beside Atienza), Undersecretary Manalo of the Department of foreign Affairs (sixth from right) and Ministers and Senior Officials from (left): Afganistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, LAO PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmaar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timore-Leste, Vietnam, United Nations Industrial Development Organization -Director General and United Nations Environmental Program Representative.
Asian trade and environment ministers signed and adopted the Manila Declaration on Resource Efficient and Green Industry at the International Conference on Green Industry in Asia (ICGIA), setting a clear framework for better Asian cooperation to encourage industries adopt low-carbon business systems and operations.
The conference was jointly organized by the Philippine Government through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP).
The declaration may be labeled as the successor of the Kyoto and Montreal Protocols which committed countries to mitigate production of greenhouse gases (GHGs) as well as ozone-depleting substances. Montreal Protocol addresses the phasing out of ozone-depleting chemicals while the Kyoto Protocol implements firmer sanctions for the emission of GHGs into the atmosphere. All these seek to minimize the effects of climate change.
Today, there is a need to go beyond greenhouse gases. In September 2000, the 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the most comprehensive framework for collective action was enacted. World leaders pledged to eliminate abject and dehumanizing poverty. MDG No. 7 aims to ensure environmental protection. It emphasizes that sustainable development is key to securing future resources.
The declaration also emphasizes that government trade and industry ministries need to work with private industries, the academe, non-government organizations as well as research and development institutions to be able to adopt the green development measures outlined in the declaration.
It further states that the adoption of green growth strategies is a non-negotiable move for Asian nations and, as such, concrete steps towards it must be undertaken. These range from installing better regulatory policies to encouraging individuals to adopt eco-friendly lifestyles.
Recognizing the need for adequate funding and technologies is another aspect covered by the declaration. It espouses the accelerated transfer of clean technologies among developing nations of Asia.
Asia is a region with billions of people still living in poverty despite its exponential economic growth. Rapid urbanization and industrialization has depleted much of the region’s resources, further degrading its ecosystems.
The Manila Declaration seeks to address more than environmental hazards. It looks at the need for development at its macrocosm. It recognizes the need to keep economic development in stride with environmental concerns as crucial to regional and international survival.
The Manila Declaration is the region’s commitment to mitigate the effects on climate change. It seeks to effectively manage the region’s water, land and mineral resources while bolstering its economic growth. The policies it will enforce is in line with next year’s 2nd Asia-Pacific Water Summit set on June in Singapore.
It is also Asia’s preparation for the Copenhagen Conference set later this year. The UN Climate Change Conference expects 192 UN member states to seal the deal on climate change in December. The conference will be setting an international climate agreement which is expected to be the benchmark for environmental management beyond 2012.
STATEMENT OF SECRETARY JOSE L. ATIENZA, JR. FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON GREEN INDUSTRIES IN ASIA
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Increase jobs and incomes while slowing down climate change. Perk up the economy with, through and for the environment.
The Government has been promoting responsible, eco-friendly enterprises that not only provide jobs and income opportunities for the country, but also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and thereby soften the impacts of climate change.
Green industries are a vital component of a green economy, a still evolving concept based on the principles of sustainable development. Other key components of a green economy are investments, legislations, policies, innovations, and an eco-oriented workforce. The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has been promoting green industry for a resource-efficient and low-carbon future.
Green industries will employ not just eco-friendly processes and practices, but also create green jobs and careers in various disciplines. Thus, some schools abroad have started offering green/sustainable certificates, which can be used in landing green jobs.
Green industries are among the fastest-growing in the global economy. The top ten in the list are advanced biofuels, retrofitting of buildings, geothermal energy, green chemistry, green manufacturing, smart grid, solar energy, sustainable agriculture, sustainable green retailing, and wind energy.
The surge is fueled by the realization that to be competitive, today’s industries and entrepreneurs have to develop practices and products that can slow down, if not reverse, global warming and environmental degradation, instead of aggravating these.
Through Administrative Order No. 256, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo designated the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to lead country efforts on the conference as she favorably noted the country’s gains in moving toward greener industries, citing the DENR as a prime mover for sustainable development.
The DENR has been advocating more interventions in eco-friendly enterprises. It has already embarked on a green growth strategy, with the support of the business sector.
One particular program of the DENR is the Philippine Environment Partnership Program (PEPP) with industries which aims to support industry self-regulation towards improved environmental performance. By providing a package of incentives and reward mechanisms to industries, the DENR hopes to assist business establishments, particularly small and medium enterprises, to adopt pollution prevention and cleaner production processes. Regulatory privileges and assistance, such as relaxation of reportorial requirements, simplified requirement for securing an Environmental Compliance Certificate and flexible payment schemes, are also offered under the PEPP.
Another activity is the Revised Industrial Ecowatch System (RIES), a public disclosure program that rates industries in color codes of gold, silver, green, blue, red and black. Under the RIES, firms are rated Gold or Silver for environmental efforts that go beyond legal requirement. Other ratings include Green or Blue for sufficient effort to comply with DENR standards, Red for insufficient effort to abide by environmental regulations, and Black for companies that make no effort to improve their compliance.
It is notable to cite the country’s ongoing shift to renewable energy and active participation in Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects which target cutbacks in emissions of millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The Philippines has now 39 projects registered with the CDM Executive Board in Bonn, Germany, making the country the seventh in the world in terms of the number of registered CDM projects.
Climate change is one of the biggest environmental challenges in world history. The shift to a low-carbon economy will change how industries operate, the products that we use, and our lifestyles. Business and consumers can benefit from significant savings and resource efficiency measures that will reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and make climate safer for all and more conducive to growth.
The International Conference on Green Industry in Asia will highlight, particularly for investors, the Philippines’ potentials for clean development projects which are integral to the country’s green growth strategy. It will also focus on opportunities created by the transition to a resource-efficient and low-carbon economy.
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