UK funding to help Quezon City tackle climate change
GLASGOW, United Kingdom — Quezon City, the most populous city in the Philippines, will benefit from funding from the United Kingdom that aids cities in climate vulnerable countries in combating climate change.
The UK government, which holds the presidency of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties, launched Thursday the £27.5 million (P1.8 billion)-Urban Climate Action Program (UCAP) to support cities targeting net zero.
The program, funded through International Climate Finance, will directly support Quezon City and other cities in Asia, Africa and Latin America in developing low-emission public transport systems, renewable energy generation, sustainable waste management, climate-smart buildings, and climate risk planning.
The program will be delivered in partnership with the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, a global network of cities focused on climate action, and German development agency GIZ.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said the city’s enhanced climate action plan was successfully developed with the support of the UK government. The city is also installing solar electricity panels on public schools and healthcare facilities.
“We are immensely looking forward to continuing our fruitful partnership with C40 to implement Quezon City’s climate action plan as a matter of urgency,” Belmonte said.
In 2020, the city, home to 2.9 million people, was recognized by CDP for developing robust climate change strategies, track and limit emissions, and assess and mitigate climate risks. CDB is a non-profit charity that runs the global disclosure system for cities to manage their environmental impacts.
Aside from Quezon City, the program will support Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur in Asia; Addis Ababa, Accra, Nairobi, Lagos, Johannesburg, Tshwane and Dar es Salaam in Africa; and Bogotá, Medellín, Guadalajara, Mexico City and Lima in Latin America.
The UK called on cities to make commitments to set a net zero target, which refers to achieving a balance between emissions produced and emissions removed from the atmosphere
More than 1,000 cities and regions—over a fifth of the global urban population—have so far committed to slashing their emissions to net zero by 2050.
This story was produced as part of the 2021 Climate Change Media Partnership, a journalism fellowship organized by Internews' Earth Journalism Network and the Stanley Center for Peace and Security.
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