Prepare for climate disasters before they strike -CCC

QUEZON CITY, 2 August (PIA) --- The Climate Change Commission (CCC) expresses the urgent need for local climate change action plans (LCCAP) from the local government units (LGUs) due to record high global temperatures in 2016.   

Secretary Emmanuel De Guzman, the CCC vice-chair and executive director, said that the climate is warming at a faster rate than ever recorded, thus, we should recognize climate change and the most recent warming patterns for these may just be a taste of what's to come.   

De Guzman underscored the importance of integrating climate adaptation into the disaster risk reduction and management policies and plans of every LGU, “especially because we live in one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change impacts.   De Guzman cited the World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) report marking June 2016 as the 14th straight month of record heat.   

Furthermore, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) report showed the average temperature in the first six months of 2016 was 1.3°C warmer than the pre-industrial era in the late 19th century. While, United States' National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said the global land and ocean average temperature for January–June was 1.05°C above the 20th century average, beating the record set in 2015 by 0.20°C.   

“These data provide a cast-iron case for policymakers, especially those in the local governments, to prepare for climate disasters before they strike," de Guzman stated.   De Guzman noted that the Philippines has just experienced its worst El Niño-induced dry spell in 18 years, which wreaked havoc on agriculture and severely affected the livelihood of millions of farmers and fishermen, who are already among the poorest in the country.   After the prolonged dry spell, the country now braces for La Niña, which brings heavy rains that trigger floods and landslides.   

The commission is rolling out its Communities for Resilience (CORE) Convergence Forum across the country to help LGUs craft their own LCCAP and implement climate change adaptation, and disaster risk reduction management.   LCCAP stipulates the policies and measures that an LGU will enact to increase the community's resilience to climate change. It identifies the goals and basis of planning a project, along with actions to be implemented, funding source, responsibility and schedules.   

The CCC has already conducted a convergence forum in Bohol, Davao City, and Cagayan de Oro City. (CCC/RJB/MAPA/PIA-NCR)