Opening Address of Senator Loren Legarda
CVF High Level Climate Policy Forum
15 August 2016 | Senate of the Philippines
What does the future hold for us—nations greatly vulnerable to the ill effects of climate change?
We are walking on thin ice. Our future is uncertain because we are facing a crisis that we cannot resolve on our own.
Sea level rise threatens to submerge island nations including our fellow CVF member states—Kiribati, Marshall Islands and the Maldives. Ocean acidification is […]
Members of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) will convene at the Philippine Senate on Monday, August 15, 2016, 9:30 am, for a High-Level Climate Policy Forum and to turnover the CVF Presidency from the Philippines to Ethiopia.
Senator Loren Legarda today said that another reason why the Philippines should integrate climate change adaptation and mitigation in its development agenda is to protect its heritage sites.
Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change and UNISDR Global Champion for Resilience, made the statement in reaction to a UN report, The World Heritage and Tourism in a Changing Climate (2016), which revealed that climate change is now one of the most significant risks for World Heritage Sites, including the Ifugao Rice Terraces.
Senator Loren Legarda has filed a bill seeking to delineate and properly identify the country’s forestlands with due regard to their preservation and protection.
“At present, government relies on the land classification maps and cadastral survey maps of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the initiatives of local government units (LGUs) in identifying the forestlands and agricultural lands. However, despite these efforts, unscrupulous individuals defy the integrity of these demarcated boundaries,” Legarda stressed.
CLARK FREEPORT — In observance of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples and the Philippine National IP Day, Senator Loren Legarda renewed her call for stronger support and protection for indigenous peoples.
“As we celebrate the rich and vibrant culture of our indigenous peoples, I encourage everyone to provide the needed support for our IPs to strengthen their part in nation building,” said Legarda, who sponsored the law (RA 10689) that declared the 9th day of August as National IP Day to coincide with the international celebration.