Climate reports of agencies lagging

MANILA,Philippines — The Philippines has yet to come up with new nationally determined contributions (NDC) as many agencies have not submitted their respective reports, Climate Change Commission (CCC) Secretary Emmanuel de Guzman said Tuesday.

The NDC states the Philippines’ pledged in 2015 to reduce carbon emissions by 70 percent by 2030.

“So far, only the DOTr (Department of Transportation) has submitted. We’re waiting for the submission of other agencies,” De Guzman told reporters on the sidelines of the 12th Global Warming and Climate Change Consciousness Week in Pasay City.

He said the CCC has asked the help of Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles to request the agencies, including the departments of Agriculture, Energy, and Environment and Natural Resources, as well as the National Economic and Development Authority to submit their reports soon.

“We cannot come up with the new NDC without their submissions,” De Guzman said.

The target completion is before the end of the year, he added.

According to Climate Action Tracker, the NDC submitted by the Philippines in 2015 was compatible with the 2009 Copenhagen two degrees Celsius goal, and is considered still too high to be consistent with the 2016 Paris Agreement at 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, the Philippines will send a small delegation to the United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP25, to be held in Madrid, Spain next month.

De Guzman, however, said having a lean delegation would also limit the issues that could be raised by the Philippines.

The country also did not send a high-level delegation to the UN Climate Action Summit in New York last September. 

In June this year, Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said he would disallow all attendance at climate change talks abroad, although the country is not abandoning discussions on the matter.

He said the Philippines recognized by experts as a leading voice on climate talks – would still make arguments and proposals through the internet.