Phl gets P2-B climate projects from Germany

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines is getting 41 million euros or around P2 billion from the International Climate Initiative (ICI) of Germany that will fund 10 bilateral projects to address the impact of climate change.

Climate Change Commission (CCC) vice chairman Lucille Sering yesterday met with Norbert Gorissen – head of the International Climate Finance of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety – to discuss the projects, some of which will be implemented until 2017.

“These projects are designed to build resilience of local communities, attain sustainable development, increase awareness, skills and capacity development for climate protection and adaptation, enhance employment opportunities and investments in renewable energies,” said Sering.

“All projects are aligned with our priorities and are consistent with the Philippine Climate Change Act, the National Framework Strategy on Climate Change and the National Climate Change Action Plan,” she added.

Among the projects funded by the ICI is support for the implementation of the framework and action plan on climate change adaptation and mitigation, amounting to over 3 million euros.

Sering said the grant has enabled the CCC to push forward with various programs, including studies on renewable energy and the mainstreaming of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in land use plan.

The other bilateral projects on climate change in the country are biodiversity, ecosystem-based land use systems and protection of climate-relevant biodiversity with focus on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.

Gorissen, who visited areas affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda on Saturday, cited the importance of the partnership between Germany and the Philippines.

Aside from the bilateral projects, he said 28 other regional and global projects funded by his government have a component in the Philippines.

The German official said they are looking into funding more projects in the country.

“Prevention of disasters and resilience and adaptation activities will be part of that. It will also include activities on the area of emission reduction,” he said during a press conference in Pasig City yesterday.