Makati City Mayor Abby Binay on Tuesday, Oct. 11, expressed her support for the use of climate-financing instruments which would give the city access to grants, loans, and funding opportunities to boost climate action as part of her administration's goal of improving Makati's climate change response initiatives.

Binay explained that after attending the Daring Cities 2022, a global virtual forum of urban leaders focusing on climate emergency finance challenges the local governments are facing around the world held in Bonn, Germany, she learned that there are three climate-financing instruments that can be applied in Makati: the city climate finance gap fund, green cities program, and the local climate adaptive living facility.

The mayor said the city government is planning to apply for support from the World Bank and the European Investment Bank through its city climate finance gap fund. The city climate finance gap fund is a climate action trust fund providing technical assistance and capacity building to help cities in developing countries turn climate-focused ideas into concrete project proposals.

Binay said the she is also exploring the possibility of tapping the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development through its green cities program which supports cities by helping them create a green city action plan that includes sustainable infrastructure investments and policy measures.

The city government is also considering applying for the local climate adaptive living facility, a mechanism designed and hosted by the United Nations Capital Development Fund that provides technical assistance and tools for local governments to access climate funds and integrate climate change adaptation into local planning and budgeting system.

“I will introduce these three climate-financing instruments to the Makati Climate Change Committee so that we can study how we can use them to improve the quality of life of Makatizens and, at the same time, reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the impact of climate change,” Binay said.

“I think a lot of cities are missing out by not being able to tap these international organizations. It is essential for us to benchmark and get information on how successful climate initiatives were done, what mistakes were committed, and how these projects were sustained,” she added.

Being the leader of various climate change-oriented groups and organizations, Binay said she expects to learn more about climate-financing schemes in the coming meetings with various international organizations and share new strategies with fellow local leaders to help them get access to grants, loans, and funding opportunities.

During the Daring Cities 2022 global forum where she was a speaker, Binay presented the city’s initiatives to address climate emergency and its investments in climate change adaptation and mitigation.

“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 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.