Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Philippine local governments step up climate change mitigating and adaptation measures

Dexter A. See in the Manila Bulletin (Philippines): Pursuant to the mandate of the Regional Development Council (RDC) in the Cordillera for local governments to hasten their respective climate change mitigating and adaptation measures, concerned stakeholders here crafted the necessary activities that will be undertaken by both the government and private sectors to enhance their climate change preparedness to ensure the safety of life and limb during times of natural disasters.

The provincial government cited commonly identified adaptation measures that must be pursued by municipal governments and even barangays. These include the intensification of campaign on climate change, revisiting of national and local legislations, solid waste management approaches, preservation and protection of watersheds, reforestation, agro-forestry concerns, organic farming, regulation of small-scale mining activities, development of renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind, and water, and development of alternate transport systems such as cable and tunnels, among others.

In localizing climate change adaptation, provincial and municipal officials were reminded by experts to get their act together and must do something in their respective areas before the worst case scenario that will be triggered by climate change will happen.

To be able to understand climate change, experts told officials to appropriately understand the concept of the greenhouse effect, which could be equated to the long overdue cause of the Cordillera for regional development and autonomy. Benguet has been pinpointed by the Climate Change Commission as one of the areas that are expected to be badly devastated by upcoming natural calamities – because of its fragile rock and soil formation….

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