ADB eyes urgent solutions against climate change

MANILA, Philippines — The Asian Development Bank is seeking urgent solutions to build resilience against the adverse impacts of climate change as it co-hosts the 6th Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum.

More than 1,000 scientists, government officials, representatives from civil society and businesses, as well as development partners from 60 countries gathered yesterday at the ADB headquarters in Manila for the first day of the forum.

The ADB cited a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on global warming paints a bleak picture of a future world riddled by climate impacts if drastic changes are not made to limit global warming to 1.5ºC.

“But even under this best-case scenario, the Asia and Pacific region faces significant devastation, from inundated coastlines to destructive droughts,” the ADB said.

It added that immediate action is needed to scale up efforts and build resilience to avoid severe effects on livelihoods, public health and economies.

“Adaptation ensures that we, as a people, are prepared and resilient enough to survive through the impacts of climate change with our culture and identity intact for generations to come,” Palau President Tommy Remengesau Jr. said in his message to the forum participants.

Vice-Minister for Global Environmental Affairs of Japan’s Ministry of the Environment Yasuo Takahashi said there is a need to find solutions to pave the road for a resilient society, economy, and ecosystem using platforms from Asia and the Pacific.

The Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum is the flagship event of the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network (APAN) and gives delegates the opportunity to forge partnerships and share learnings from actions, cutting edge science and practical solutions that will strengthen resilience.

The forum also helps establish regional priorities and mobilize political support for the international climate conference (COP24) in Katovice, Poland in December 2018.

“There is increasing prevalence of climate change and disaster risks in our cities and local communities. The poor and the marginalized are bound to suffer the most,” Philippine Climate Change Commission Secretary Emmanuel De Guzman said.

“Reducing disaster risk and adapting to climate change is a pro-poor response. It liberates the poor from the vicious cycle of poverty and risk. It is social justice in action,” he added.