Legarda on 2018 Climate Change Consciousness Week: Climate Action is Local

In observance of the 2018 Global Warming and Climate Change Consciousness Week, Senator Loren Legarda emphasized the importance of inciting and sustaining local climate action.

“At the global stage, we are forging a bold, strategic vision for adaptation. But we must then contextualize our discussions on our efforts on the ground: climate action is local. For us in the Philippines, adaptation is a matter of survival. We have been urging both our public and private sectors to embrace adaptation and to work together for a secure and resilient future,” Legarda said.

As organized by the Climate Change Commission, this year’s celebration, which will run from November 19 to 23, 2018, underscores the whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approach to climate action towards a low carbon and climate-resilient economy, informed by the latest climate science, technology, knowledge and best practices on climate change adaptation and mitigation.

With the theme: “The 1.5°C Climate Change: Survive and Thrive Together,” the first day commenced with opening plenary sessions and a forum on the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP). The National Water Security Conference and the Climate Science Youth Congress, which launched the search for Young Outstanding Climate Scientists, were held the following day.

On day three, November 21, the National Business Climate Action Summit was held, carrying a theme of “Transforming Industries and Sectors towards Carbon Neutrality.”

The fourth and fifth days of the CCC Week will be entirely devoted to the conduct of the 2^nd National Convention on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction, which will serve as a collaborative multi-stakeholder platform for knowledge exchange on climate change and disaster risk reduction policies, programs, innovation, best practices, and resources to pave the way for increased national and community resilience.

“This December, there is a tall order from all countries to finalize the work programme of the Paris Agreement in COP24 in Katowice, Poland. I hope that through these activities we also amplify our call for scaled up climate finance and inspire greater climate action from all nations,” Legarda concluded.