Role of LGUs in Climate Change law implementation cited
Climate Change Commissioner Naderev Sano cited the important role played by local government units in the implementation of the climate change law and exhorted them to help the national government craft the national climate change framework that is a vital component of the six month-old law.
Sano said the national government will be needing the inputs of LGUs in the formulation of the national framework particularly in the assessment of vulnerability of communities to disasters.
The Commissioner was one of the resource speakers in the recent regional dialogue on climate change and climate-related disaster risks organized by the city government of Iloilo headed by Mayor Jerry Treñas here.
The framework shall serve as the basis for a program for climate change planning, research and development, extension, and monitoring of activities to protect vulnerable communities from the adverse effects of climate change.
It shall be formulated based on climate change vulnerabilities, specific adaptation needs, and mitigation potential, and in accordance with the international agreements.
Sano said vulnerability assessment is a complicated thing to do so much so that the Climate Change Commission will rely on inputs from LGUs.
Sano said the framework shall be reviewed every three years or as may be deemed necessary.
The Climate Change Law, otherwise known as Republic Act No. 9729, was signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on October 23, 2009. It is a law mainstreaming climate change into government policy formulations, establishing the framework strategy and program on climate change, and creating for this purpose the Climate Change Commission.
Another major component of the law is the National Climate Change Action Plan which shall be formulated in accordance with the framework within one year after the formulation of the latter.
LGUs shall also play a vital role in the making and implementation of the action plan by localizing it in their respective areas consistent with the provisions of the Local Government Code, the framework, and the national climate change action plan.
The recent regional dialogue was organized by the city government through the City Environment and Natural Resources Office headed by Engr. Noel Hechanova to provide a venue for stakeholders in the public and private sectors and civil society to build awareness and understanding of climate change and its possible impacts on Western Visayas.
It was also conceived to allow partners to identify possible courses of action that can be undertaken collectively to promote adaptation and resilience impacts over the long run. The World Bank (WB) and Cities Alliance supported the activity. (PIA 6)
