NOTE: THIS PRESS RELEASE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE BOHOL CHRONICLE’S SUNDAY PRINT EDITION.
In Congressional hearing of the Committee on Climate Change on Friday, chair Cong. Edgar Chatto welcomed members of the Philippine delegation to the United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP26), held in Glasgow, United Kingdom last October 31 to November 13.
Reporting on the outcomes of COP 26 were Usec. Mark Dennis Joven of the Department of Finance (DOF), Usec. Felix William Fuentebella of the Department of Energy (DOE), Deputy Asec. Roberto Manalo of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Albert Magalang of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Important gains in the global summit on climate change include the enhancement of finance mobilization to achieve climate plans, scaling up of investments towards climate action; climate financing from developed countries, reaffirmation of global goal to limit global temperature increase to 1.5degrees Celsius, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, deployment of clean power generation, and operationalization of the Paris Agreement, among others.
The Philippines also laid out its main positions and interests during the conference, emphasizing that while it accounted for 0.3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the country bears the brunt of the consequences of climate change.
It also conveyed its resolve to be a world leader in climate action, having set its Nationally Determined Contribution at 75% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
To implement its climate actions, the country has so far put together a team of Filipino experts to engage in climate vulnerable communities to help prepare and execute localized action plans. The Philippines’ Sustainable Finance Roadmap has also been launched to encourage public and private investment in green projects.
Moreover, there is a strong push for a law banning single use plastics and a project with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to accelerate the country’s transition to clean energy.
Another important call the delegation made was for a framework on climate justice where developed countries with most greenhouse gas emissions take responsibility for financing the capacity development and technology transfer comprised of grants, investments, and subsidies needed by vulnerable countries to adapt to climate change.
The Philippine delegation was led by Department of Finance Sec. Carlos Dominguez.
At COP26, Fuentebella along with lawyer Vicente Paolo Yulo, lead negotiator for G77 and China group, helped shape a platform called the Santiago Network that is envisioned to help address loss and damage experience by developing countries due to typhoons, droughts, sea-level rise, and other climate risks.
Filipino Digital Artist Brikko Iyanev Dumas also won the DIGITALART4CLIMATE, a COP26, a non fungible token (NFT) climate initiative, one of major side events at COP26.
His work entitled “Nexus” that depicts a hand holding a drink in a plastic bag with a straw, and cigarette which smoke evaporates into tiny leaves, will be among 208 artworks from 58 countries and the only one from South East Asia that will be showcased in UN offices around the world and auctioned as clean NFTs in 2022.