The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is set to start the accounting and mapping of the Philippine's natural resources as part of the efforts to come up with a reliable and accessible localized data in the country's fight against climate change.
DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga said having a localized data will pave the way for better understanding on how climate change affects every region or province in the Philippines.
"It is high time for the country to have accessible and credible localized climate data so that communities have a better chance to respond effectively to climate change and its impacts. Localized data can help public and private decision-makers come up with effective strategies and policies for adapting to climate change," said Loyzaga.
The accounting and mapping of the country’s natural resources, according to Loyzaga, intends to combine geospatial intelligence, economics, and natural, social, and industrial sciences.
"The work of the natural capital accounting is transdisciplinary and will entail close collaboration and synergies with different development partners. This database is envisioned to be a management tool—one that will provide transparency and promote decisions and actions that are based on information and scientific data,” said Loyzaga.
In order to reinforce this project, Loyzaga said she and other top DENR officials will be meeting anew with the experts from the World Bank in order to improve the country's ability to assess problems at the community level.
Climate change and PH development goals
Experts from the World Bank has already presented to the DENR officials the Philippines Country Climate Development Report (PCCDR), which contains analysis on how climate change will affect development in the Philippines, particularly in the water, agriculture and energy sectors, and urban areas.
Based on the presentation, it emphasized the need for a tailor-fitted climate change response based on local conditions such as water demand and supply as impacts on climate change will likely differ across and within regions of the country.
For instance, it cited that Luzon will likely become wetter while southern parts of Mindanao are likely to become drier, thus the increase in the risks of flood and drought will vary as well as productivity of crops.
The same presentation warned of continuous and accelerated climate change impacts in the Philippines, including a rise in temperatures by about 1-3 degrees Celsius depending on the climate scenario, and rainfall will become more intense and erratic.
The report revealed that the estimated annual losses due to damages brought upon by typhoons are equivalent to 1.2 percent to as much as 4.6 percent of the country’s gross domestic product or GDP.
Unacceptable
Loyzaga found this “unacceptable” as it effectively wipes out any annual increase in the GDP which in recent years “has been anywhere from 3-6%.”
Without action, she said climate change will also impose substantial economic and human costs including estimated economic damages that could reach up to 7.6 percent of GDP by 2030 and 13.6 percent by 2040, the report stated.
The PCCDR emphasized the urgent need to take climate action, ensure incentives for implementers, address both extreme and slow-onset events, target climate actions taking poverty and vulnerability into consideration, and use of adaptive social protection to help people cope with the effects of climate change.