Philippines, UK pledge cooperation to help protect communities from climate crisis
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and the United Kingdom agreed to deepen their cooperation in enhancing resilience to current and future climate impacts, and protecting and restoring the environment.
Environment Secretary Antonia Loyzaga and British Ambassador to the Philippines Laure Beaufils signed a renewed partnership agreement on climate change and environment during a dialogue on Thursday.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources said in a release on Friday that both countries committed to enhance the resilience of their economies, ecosystems and communities, accelerate clean energy transition, mobilize climate finance, and drive inclusive, cross-sectoral collaboration.
“We have a shared understanding that the last mile—our communities and ecosystems that support them—need to be the first mile in terms of investment, impact-based early warning, and environmental protection,” Loyzaga said.
The Philippines is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, with poor and rural communities bearing the brunt of strong storms and sea level rise. A survey released last month showed that nine in 10 Filipinos experienced the impacts of climate change in the past three years.
The country is also one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots with at least 700 threatened species.
“Addressing these challenges is not just a public good—it will drive investment, innovation, and empower communities across the Philippines,” Beaufils said.
The Philippines and the United Kingdom also held dialogues on climate change and environment in 2020 and 2022.
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