PHL reaffirms support for climate change efforts at Geneva meet

The Philippines reaffirmed its support for efforts to address global climate change in an ongoing international meteorological meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) head Nathaniel Servando presented the Philippine statement at the 16th World Meteorological Congress. “In the statement, Dr. Servando reaffirmed the Philippines’ support for global efforts to address the climate change challenge," the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a news release on its website Saturday. Servando, who presented the statement on behalf of Science Undersecretary Graciano Yumul Jr. last May 17, is also the Philippines’ permanent representative to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the DFA said. The 16th World Meteorological Congress in Geneva, Switzerland, began on May 16 and will end on June 3. According to Servando, the enormity of the climate change challenge requires a comprehensive and coordinated response from the global community, and thus expressed Philippine support “in principle" for the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS). He said he expected that the GFCS “will go a long way to address risks and provide appropriate adaptation measures associated with climate variability and climate change at all levels." Servando added the GFCS, which is one of the outcomes of the 2009 World Climate Conference-3 (WCC-3), will help strengthen further existing local, national, regional and global networks of climate observation, research, and services programs. The implementation of the GFCS will be crucial in capacity development to address the challenges and impacts of climate variability and change for countries such as the Philippines. Servando noted the Philippines, being an archipelago of 7,109 islands with a coastline of 36,000 km, is among countries most vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. He said the country is exposed to such disasters as sea level rise, coastal flooding and inundation due to the projected increase in the frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones. Also, he cited Philippine actions undertaken at the national level, including the enactment of the Climate Change Act, the issuance of the Climate Change Framework Strategy and the finalization of the National Climate Change Action Plan. Servando added that PAGASA assists in efforts to incorporate integrated disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation measures into national policies. These efforts include the identification of priorities and options in key sectors, such as agriculture, water resources, health, transport, tourism, disaster risk management and coastal management through existing national assessments and action plans, in support of national sustainable development goals. He also said the Philippines contributes to meeting the training needs of the region. “Through PAGASA and the Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology (IESM) of the University of the Philippines, the country is one of the WMO Regional Training Centers (RTCs), conducting various training courses in meteorology and operational hydrology," the DFA said. — LBG, GMA News