Climate Domain Overview🔒 SSL Verified

"Climate Change Commission (CCC) Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert E.A. Borje intervenes for the Philippines at Pre-COP31, urges Parties to turn climate forecasts into early global action. NADI, Fiji — In the lead up to the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31), the Philippines called on United Nations member states to turn climate forecasts into global preparedness and early action, linking formal negotiations to decisions that protect people, livelihoods, and development at home. Speaking at the Pre-COP31 plenary discussion on priorities for Antalya, Climate Change Commission (CCC) Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert E.A. Borje cited a World Meteorological Organization forecast that the current El Niño would intensify to very strong levels and was highly likely to persist through February 2027. While its effects will vary by location, he noted that risks can compound across vital sectors such as water, food, energy, health, and local economies. “The forecast gives us a clear warning, but also a window to prepare and respond,” Borje said. “We must build right at first sight so every investment reduces risk rather than locks it in.” The intervention advances President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s call for predictive governance: using science, data, and risk information to guide decisions before impacts escalate. For the Philippines, this means integrating climate risk assessment into policies affecting agriculture, water security, public infrastructure, and community livelihoods. Borje stated that COP31 should support nations in formulating, submitting, and implementing their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), advancing mitigation and adaptation in tandem. The Philippines’ NDC Implementation Plan, National Adaptation Plan, and National Climate Risk Management Framework already serve to bring climate considerations into decisions shaping the national economy. He also pressed for climate finance to match the scale of the crisis. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates that developing countries will need US$310–365 billion a year for adaptation by 2035. In contrast, international public adaptation finance to developing countries stood at just US$26 billion in 2023—less than one-tenth of the estimated annual need. While water and wastewater systems may receive the largest sectoral share of tracked adaptation finance, Borje noted that the overall pool remains inadequate. “A large share of an inadequate pool remains inadequate,” he emphasized. Furthermore, ocean finance remains limited and poorly tracked—a major concern for small island developing states and archipelagic countries whose survival depends on marine ecosystems. He called for climate finance that is adequate, predictable, new, additional, scaled up, and easily accessible to developing countries. He urged that finance flows be measured transparently, offered on fair terms, and directed to the national and local institutions responsible for delivery. Public and concessional finance remain indispensable; private finance can complement, but never replace, this core responsibility. He added that technology transfer and capacity-building must also be accelerated to enable countries to act. Looking ahead to Antalya, Türkiye will host COP31 and hold its Presidency, while Australia will serve as President of Negotiations. Borje said the Presidency’s Action Agenda could help advance the aim of making COP31 an "implementation COP." This agenda can reinforce formal negotiations by mobilizing practical partnerships across energy, water, oceans, and resilience, while connecting multi-hazard early warning systems with proactive early action. National and global stakeholders will ultimately judge COP31 by how negotiations translate into agreements that reach those facing risk, protect lives, and sustain development. For more information on the CCC’s climate mainstreaming programs and partnerships, visit www.climate.gov.ph and www.facebook.com/CCCPhl."

"The Climate Change Commission (CCC), the Department of Energy (DOE), and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Regional Collaboration Centre for Asia and the Pacific convened regional stakeholders at the inaugural Asia ACT Forum in Manila. The Forum brought together government, development partners, industry, youth, and civil society to strengthen cooperation and advance practical pathways for clean energy transitions and NDC implementation across the region.   MANILA, Philippines — To strengthen regional cooperation and unlock practical pathways for climate action, the Philippines, through the Climate Change Commission (CCC) and the Department of Energy (DOE), partnered with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Regional Collaboration Centre (RCC) Asia and the Pacific to convene key stakeholders at the first Asia ACT Forum, focusing on clean energy transition and Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) implementation. Convened under the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairship, the Forum sought to strengthen the alignment of climate commitments with national and regional energy priorities, investment decisions, and implementation on the ground. In her opening remarks, Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Maria Luwalhati C. Dorotan-Tiuseco of the Office of the Executive Secretary highlighted the need to deliver commitments in accelerating clean transitions in the country. “We have targets, we have roadmaps, we have strategies, we have declarations. Those commitments are very, very important, but the people have long been waiting for what comes next. Our people should not have to understand our NDCs to feel that their lives are getting better,” Dorotan-Tiuseco said. CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert E.A. Borje emphasized the need to strengthen the policies, institutions, investments, and partnerships required to turn climate commitments into measurable progress. “The task ahead is to strengthen the policies, institutions, investments, and partnerships needed to operationalize our commitments while ensuring that implementation progress and mitigation outcomes can be effectively monitored, reported, and used to guide further action,” Borje said. During the ceremonial launch on 8 October, CCC Commissioner Rachel Anne S. Herrera underscored the importance of inclusive participation in shaping the region’s clean energy transition. “As we undertake this transition, we must ensure that communities, young people, women, Indigenous Peoples, and other stakeholders have a voice in shaping solutions. A transition that is sustainable must also be inclusive,” Herrera said. The initiative, led by the UNFCCC through RCC Asia and the Pacific, aims to help countries translate climate commitments into concrete action by connecting governments, policymakers, development partners, financiers, and other stakeholders around practical approaches to NDC implementation, particularly in the energy sector. During the high-level opening on 9 October, UNFCCC Senior Director of Programmes Coordination Daniele Violetti called on participants to focus on implementation, exchange practical experiences, and identify approaches that can accelerate climate action. “Not to restate our visions, but to compare what is working, what isn't, and leave with new knowledge and power,” Violetti said, emphasizing the urgency of moving from commitments to results. UN Resident Coordinator in the Philippines Arnaud Peral likewise highlighted the need for countries to demonstrate progress in delivering their climate commitments. “The clock is ticking. Each is a moment like today. Our country must show what they have delivered. Not only what they have promised.” Peral also pointed to the growing competitiveness of renewable energy, noting that it is now the cheapest source of new power across most of Southeast Asia. DOE Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella, Chair of the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Energy (SOME), stressed that the challenges facing energy systems are interconnected and require integrated solutions. He emphasized that the clean energy transition must go beyond reducing emissions to building energy systems that are simpler, reliable, affordable, and resilient, while ensuring that communities and other stakeholders have a voice in shaping solutions. The Forum brought together government representatives, climate and energy policymakers, financial institutions, development partners, industry, youth, and civil society to identify implementation gaps and explore opportunities for technical assistance, partnerships, and investment across the ASEAN region. These discussions come at a critical period for climate action, with the 2026 and 2028 Biennial Transparency Report cycles, the 2028 Global Stocktake, and future NDC submissions serving as important milestones for assessing progress and strengthening climate ambition. Advancing implementation requires stronger institutional capacity, investment-ready project pipelines, enabling policies, and closer coordination between climate and energy priorities. For the Philippines, the Forum provided a platform to share national experiences in NDC implementation, exchange lessons with ASEAN partners, and explore ways to align climate targets with energy transition priorities and investment needs. The CCC continues to work with national government agencies, local governments, the private sector, development partners, and other stakeholders to advance the country’s climate commitments and support low-carbon, climate-resilient development. For more information on the CCC’s climate mainstreaming activities and partnerships, visit www.climate.gov.ph and www.facebook.com/CCCPhl."

"At SIPLAS Climate Week’s Circular Economy Forum and Siargao Youth Climate Congress, the Climate Change Commission (CCC) championed science-driven, proactive governance to address hazards before they become disasters. By integrating young leaders into this framework, communities bridge the gap between grassroots advocacy and institutional planning, empowering the next generation to safeguard their future.   DEL CARMEN, Siargao Islands — The Climate Change Commission (CCC) called on local governments, environmental managers, and community leaders to adopt a holistic, interconnected approach to island resilience during the inaugural Siargao Islands Protected Landscape and Seascape (SIPLAS) Climate Week. Addressing a diverse coalition of the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), local fisherfolk, farmers, tourism workers, and youth leaders, the CCC emphasized that Siargao’s survival and prosperity depend on governing the fragile connections among its ecosystems, communities, and the economy. "Siargao is often introduced to the world through its waves. Yet the life of these islands begins much farther inland and runs much deeper: through forests and farms, across watersheds and wetlands, into mangroves, seagrass beds and coral reefs, and onward to the sea," CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert E.A. Borje stated in a recorded message shown during the Circular Economy Forum, stressing that a damaged watershed inevitably becomes a coastal and economic crisis. In his message, Borje outlined several critical strategic directives for the island's climate agenda, primarily advocating for "predictive governance." Climate action must move beyond isolated projects to fundamentally change local decision-making regarding land use, waste management, and infrastructure so that science can alter policy before a hazard becomes a disaster or public money locks in vulnerability. To achieve this, local climate strategies must integrate with the Philippines' first National Adaptation Plan (2023–2050), completed under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., and the 2026 Nationally Determined Contribution. These national frameworks provide crucial risk assessments designed to enhance Local Climate Change Action Plans (LCCAPs) and protected-area management systems. Guided by these frameworks, Borje stressed that ecosystem-based adaptation must begin with protecting intact habitats through science-based ecological restoration. He warned that good intentions must pass the test of rigorous science, noting that planting mangroves or trees in the wrong locations can inadvertently destroy existing habitats. Therefore, tourism, fisheries, and human settlements must operate strictly within the limits of this interconnected environmental system. Alongside habitat protection, the CCC called for a transition to a circular island economy. Emphasizing that waste on an island "never simply disappears," the Commission urged local leaders to implement strict circular measures, including expanding reuse and refill systems, improving wastewater management, and holding producers, residents, and visitors directly accountable for ecological costs. A crucial driver of this interconnected agenda is youth empowerment and leadership. Setting the tone during the SIPLAS Climate Week pre-activities on October 7, CCC Assistant Secretary Romell Antonio O. Cuenca delivered an inspirational message at the Siargao Youth Climate Congress. Engaging with local youth development officers and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) representatives from Siargao Integrated National High School, Pilar National High School, Surigao del Norte State University, and Dapa–Siargao National Science High School (SNSHS), Cuenca underscored the vital role of young people in advancing locally led climate action. "There are major platforms for your participation, including the Youth Climate Leadership Accelerator Program (Youth CLAP), the Philippine Resilience Awards – Youth Category, and the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties," Cuenca stated. "By connecting these global and national avenues to grassroots initiatives like the Siargao Climate Field School, we challenge our youth to move beyond advocacy. You must actively identify local risks, develop evidence-based responses, and present them directly to your local authorities." Amplifying this call to action, Isabela City, Basilan Mayor Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman and Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Assistant Secretary Romeo Montenegro also attended the youth congress to lend their support and share regional perspectives. Mayor Turabin-Hataman drew parallels between the two islands, stating, "Our experiences in island municipalities, whether in Basilan or Siargao, share the exact same frontline vulnerabilities to a changing climate. Empowering you, our youth, is not just about environmental advocacy; it is about securing the very future of our islands and building fiercely resilient communities." Montenegro further emphasized the broader regional impact of youth involvement. "The Mindanao Development Authority recognizes that the sustainable growth of our regions relies entirely on the active participation of the younger generation," he noted. "You are the essential link between our long-term regional climate strategies and the grassroots innovations that will ultimately safeguard our ecosystems and our economy." To drive immediate momentum, the CCC challenged the participants of the SIPLAS Climate Week to deliver three practical outcomes: identify priority risks and actions for the island system, establish clear institutional owners and financing pathways, and develop a set of critical indicators tracking habitat health, water condition, waste leakage, and livelihood security. "This is not about creating another plan to sit beside the plans already in place. It is about making existing plans speak to one another, and making them change actual decisions," Borje urged. He reminded stakeholders that Siargao has already demonstrated how protecting coastal habitats strengthens local development. The ultimate question for the island is whether future growth will consume the natural systems that sustain it, or if prosperity, culture, and ecological integrity will be designed to strengthen one another. For more information on the CCC’s climate mainstreaming activities and partnerships, visit www.climate.gov.ph and www.facebook.com/CCCPhl."