Makati City Mayor Abby Binay attended a climate change forum in Bonn, Germany on Thursday, Oct. 6, where she presented the city's initiatives to address climate emergency and its investments in climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Binay was chosen as a speaker for Daring Cities 2022, a global virtual forum of urban leaders focusing on climate emergency finance challenges the local governments face worldwide.
The forum was organized by ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, where the mayor is also a member of its Global Executive Committee.
"We have made climate change mitigation and adaptation a priority. We have identified key action areas and are working on both short-term and long-term plans as well as an all-of-society approach that engages our citizens, businesses, and other stakeholders," Binay said.
"I am confident that, by sharing best practices and working together, we can make our cities more resilient to the impacts of climate change," she added.
In a Youtube video posted on ICLEI's channel, the local chief executive underscored the importance of correct financing of local government units (LGUs) throughout the world in the creation and improvement of their climate change response initiatives, as well as the benefits of engaging in public-private partnerships in the creation of such efforts just like what is being done in Makati.
On Aug. 5, Binay sounded the alarm and declared a state of climate emergency in the city as she called for a whole-of-society approach in responding to the still growing issues of climate change in the country and in the world.
“As temperatures and sea levels continue to rise, low-lying coastal areas in cities like Makati have become more vulnerable to strong typhoons that bring floods and landslides. This will result not only in the disruption of public services but also the displacement of families and even entire communities,” Binay said during a webinar organized by the Makati Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO).
Based on data from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), there has been a 0.75 degrees Celsius increase in the country’s annual temperature over the past 70 years and by 2050, the temperature increase is expected to reach as high as 1.8 degrees Celsius.
Binay then laid out her administration’s programs and initiatives aiming to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in the city which includes the procurement of electric vehicles (e-vehicles) to be used by the city government, the installation of solar panels in public schools and government offices to minimize energy consumption, and ensuring the continuity of services during calamities.
“We call upon everyone to come together and act now. We must ensure aggressive application of the whole-of-society approach in combating climate change. We heard the data. We understood the science. And we are feeling its impact. Now is a crucial time to act, and we need to act fast. We need thinkers, doers, and movers,” Binay said.
“The time for action is now. As the new breed of Makatizens and global citizens, it is our responsibility to take care of our city and ensure that it remains a livable place for future generations. We must promote sustainability and climate consciousness in all our actions. We must be the change we want to see in our city and the world,” she added.
The mayor also explained that the city strictly implements the Solid Waste Management Code, Makati Green Building Code, plastic ban among households and business establishments, ban on cigarette smoking, Anti-Smoke Belching Ordinance, and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Ordinance.