DAVAO CITY—The Climate Change Commission and Mindanao Development Authority calls for the adoption of climate resilience and green growth approach for the development of Mindanao in a conference held here recently.
The Asian Development Bank and a consortium of the Philippine government-hosted Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture supported the initiative.
Dubbed as “Climate Resilience and Green Growth in Mindanao: Road Map to Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Development,” the event solicited wide support from environmental and ecology groups.
In a joint statement read by the CCC Commissioner Noel Gaerlan, together with Dr. Ancha Srinivasan, Principal Climate Change Specialist ADB, and representatives of Secretary Abul Khayr Dangcal Alonto of MinDA and Dr. Gil C. Saguiguit Jr., SEARCA director, they have committed to pursue holistic and integrated climate resilience and green growth road map.
They said this road map is based on principles of ecosystems-based development planning, environmental protection, utilization of green and low emission technology, adaptive infrastructure development, consideration for women, children and indigenous peoples and other marginalized communities, and creation of livelihood options and green jobs to uplift the lives of our people in the Philippines in general and Mindanao in particular.
“There is an urgency to approach local development planning at three fronts: climate and disaster risk preparedness, environmental stability and economic growth, in the light of the changing and worsening climatic conditions, which are important ingredients in ‘building resilience’ thus saving lives,” Gaerlan said.
He also said that at CCC they are aggressively promoting risk- and science-based approach, convergence and integration of various government efforts towards development of climate-adjusted national and local development plans.
On the other hand, Alonto said that Mindanao as food basket is threatened by the impact of climate change.
ADB’s Srinivasan also noted that by integrating locally appropriate and gender-responsive climate change mitigation and adaptation actions in comprehensive land use and development plans, Mindanao and its LGUs can lead others in simultaneously addressing poverty and climate change and in achieving sustainable development goals by 2030.
For his part, Saguiguit said that Mindanao has vast potentials for agro-industrial development as agriculture remains to be the driver of Mindanao’s development and a major backbone of the Philippine economy.
“Our best option against this challenge is to adapt and heighten the resiliency of agriculture to the effects of climate change,” Saguiguit added.
The conference was supported by ADB and the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR)-funded project titled “Climate Resilience and Green Growth in Critical Watersheds,” implemented by CCC and commissioned to a consortium composed of SEARCA as lead organization, CTI Engineering Japan, Woodfields Consultants Inc., and ERGONS Project Management.