Climate body urges enforcement of biodiversity laws

MANILA, Philippines — The Climate Change Commission (CCC) has urged national and local government officials to strictly implement laws to protect biodiversity in the country.

With the impact of climate change becoming more intense every year, Climate Secretary Emmanuel de Guzman said the need to enforce laws such as the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2001 and the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992 is now more urgent.

“The Philippines is a mega biodiverse country, with millions of Filipinos dependent on our rich natural resources. It is therefore an imperative for us to build the resilience of our biodiversity against climate and disaster impacts,” he said.

De Guzman issued the statement in time with the observance of the International Biological Diversity Day last May 22, which coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

According to the CCC official, government institutions and other stakeholders in the environment sector have to work together to ensure that biodiversity, natural resources, ecosystems and protected areas are sustainably developed and managed.

He cited the case of world-famous Boracay Island, which was recently closed by the government to undergo rehabilitation due to pollution and overcrowding.

“With the strong resolve from our government, we are slowly rebuilding Boracay back to its pristine state. When our country succeeds in enforcing our laws and maximizing our action in protecting our environment and addressing climate change, we can be certain that the Philippines will remain a natural wonder in the years and generations to come,” said De Guzman.

He also supports Sen. Loren Legarda in her efforts to implement ecosystems-based adaptation, an initiative that takes into account sustainable management, conservation and restoration of ecosystems.

Such practices include maintenance or restoration of mangroves and other coastal wetlands to reduce flooding and erosion; sustainable management of upland wetlands and floodplains for maintenance of water flow and quality; conservation and restoration of forests to stabilize land slopes and regulate water flows; establishment of diverse agroforestry systems to cope with increased risk from changed climatic conditions; and the conservation of agrobiodiversity to provide specific gene pools for crop and livestock adaptation to climate change.