Legarda: It is High Time to Operationalize Technical Cooperation on Green Growth Initiatives and Crucial Regional Agreements

During a briefing held by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs on the recently-concluded Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summits, Senator Loren Legarda stressed the need to translate regional objectives into local action, focusing on the pursuit of sustainable development projects.

With green growth being one of the objectives of these regional groupings, Legarda stressed that technical cooperation with the United States and the ASEAN countries should be established and expressed hope that the United States will lead efforts to operationalize the Green Climate Fund in the upcoming climate talks in Durban.

Legarda added that Philippine posts abroad should be proactive in identifying funding facilities of development partners, to help the government access funds for climate change adaptation projects.

“While the APEC and the ASEAN have laudable objectives, we should operationalize the well-meaning rhetoric discussed at these meetings and it should be felt by the people.”

Legarda also lauded the signing of ASEAN member countries of a forestry cooperation agreement with South Korea, which seeks to strengthen forest legislation and enforcement, wildlife conservation, among others.