Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the integration of climate action into our development plans is absolutely a necessity.
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) will push policies against climate change in its upcoming development plans to achieve inclusive economic growth for the country.
NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said during his keynote at the launch of the World Bank Group’s Philippine Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) last October 25 that as “the Socioeconomic Planning Secretary, I can honestly say that now more than ever, the integration of climate action into our development plans is of absolute necessity.”
Balisacan reiterated the Philippines’ heightened risk against the adverse effects of climate change, with an average of eight to nine tropical cyclones annually. But the weather bureau had said about 20 or more tropical cyclones visit the country each year.
The resulting damages cripple the Filipino people’s sources of food, shelter, and livelihood.
On the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council situational report, Typhoon Karding left with at least ₱304 million worth of infrastructure damage last September and ₱2.99 billion worth of agricultural crops destroyed.
He said the Philippines has a running ‘ecological deficit’ due to the prevalence of harmful and unsustainable consumption practices affecting the environment.
“Our ecological footprint, or the impact created by our population on our environment, goes beyond our area’s natural capacity. If we do not get our acts right soon, more communities will be routinely displaced, more economic activities disrupted, and more agricultural systems devastated due to these extreme, climate change-induced weather conditions,” said Balisacan.
Balisacan cited the government’s aim to achieve a greener economy and more sustainable, affordable, and livable residential areas by 2028 which would be outlined in the upcoming Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028
“Examples of such priority actions will include mechanisms involving carbon pricing and incentivizing local government units to focus on more climate-friendly projects, such as electric vehicles, sustainable tourism, biodiversity protection, and energy efficiency,” Balisacan emphasized.
In November 2022, NEDA also plans to launch the Philippine Action Plan for Sustainable Consumption and Production (PAP4SCP). The Plan outlines steps that will help the country shift over the short, medium, and long term to climate-smart and sustainable practices.
Designed toward contributing to climate change mitigation goals, the PAP4SCP intends to expedite the scaling up of renewable energy systems, adopt resource-efficient green technologies, implement sustainable, multi-modal transport, and even institutionalize Natural Capital Accounting to provide further detailed statistics for better management of natural resources.
CCDR is a core diagnostic report of the World Bank Group analyzing each country’s development goals in the context of addressing the effects of climate change. These reports help nations prioritize the most impactful actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions while still delivering on their broader development goals.
Tags: #NEDA, #Balisacan, #ClimateChange