Presidential task force on climate change vows ‘bold, aggressive measures’

The government yesterday said it would undertake “bold and aggressive” measures to combat adverse impacts of global warming in the country.

In a press conference, Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, through the Presidential Task Force on Climate Change (PTFCC) which he chairs, vowed to pursue simultaneous approach —adaptation and mitigation measures — to address the problem.

“A business-as-usual option is no longer acceptable since the effects of climate change point to far-reaching consequences to the nation’s food security, human health, water supply, settlements, and economic development. As part of the global community, the Philippines must do its part in helping mitigate carbon emissions,” Reyes said.

The PTFCC held yesterday morning its second meeting at the Department of Energy (DOE) office in Taguig City. This meeting was conducted some eight months after President Arroyo created the task force in February via Administrative Order 171.  The first meeting of the task force was held in June.

The PTFCC’s second meeting resulted in the drawing up of the strategic framework and structure of the task force, which will be presented to President Arroyo on Monday, during the National Conference on Climate Change Adaptation in Legaspi City, Albay.

Based on the PTFCC’s strategic framework and action plan titled Climate Change: The Philippine Response, the government would design adaptation responses to address vulnerabilities of sectors and areas where climate change is believed to have the greatest impact.

The focus would be on disaster-prone settlements, high-risk population centers, and food production areas of the country.

The PTFCC, however, admitted that endeavors to deal with the “magnitude of climate change challenge” could strain the financial resources of the country, thus the need to tap additional funding.

“Toward this end, the task force will tap official development assistance (ODA) funds and technical assistance, explore market-based incentives, develop targeted subsidies, introduce innovative lending schemes, and other means of financing.”

Climate-friendly technologies, Reyes stressed, would be introduced with local communities and sectors to establish low-carbon infrastructure for transportation, energy, agriculture, industry, and settlements to support mitigation strategies.

On the adaptation aspect, Reyes said, developing drought-resistant crops would be introduced, as well as undertaking a decisive action to achieve climate-friendly “energy supply mix” while meeting the energy demand reduction targets for 2012.

The DOE chief then acknowledged the harmful effects of coal-fired power plants, a technology still being pursued by the government. Reyes explained though that government is all for shifting to “clean” renewable energy and that the action plan of the PTFCC is aimed at accelerating the shift.

Anita Celdran, a carbon finance specialist, said the government is eagerly pursuing establishments of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects — a design under the Kyoto Protocol — to assure reduction of GHG emissions into the atmosphere, and thus, decrease Philippine contribution to GHG emissions worldwide.

She noted that there are 50 CDM projects in the country that are “on its way,” including the 14 CDM projects already approved. The only CMD project that is already earning carbon credits is the North Wind Farm in Bangui, Ilocos Norte.

She said that the exchange rate for carbon trading is pegged at around eight euros per ton of carbon dioxide.