QUEZON CITY, (PIA) – To eradicate extreme poverty and sustain growth for the Philippine economy, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) noted that climate change adaptation and mitigation need to be placed at the heart of socioeconomic planning.
During the Philippine Environment Science Summit 2022 on Tuesday, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua said the outgoing administration has already formulated the Philippine Action Plan for Sustainable Consumption and Production (PAP4SCP) to address climate change.
“Addressing the triple planetary crisis [of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution] has become our top development challenge,” Chua emphasized.
The PAP4SCP will provide the guiding framework towards the shift to sustainable and climate-smart practices and behaviors in various sectors and the government.
According to Chua, the PAP4SCP can facilitate green recovery by integrating circular economy approaches to attain the sustainable development goals.
“If we are to eradicate extreme poverty in the Philippines by 2040 and hand down a better planet to our children and grandchildren, climate change adaptation and mitigation need to be placed at the heart of socioeconomic planning,” Chua said.
Moreover, Chua called on to the educators from international and Philippine higher education institutions, government agencies, and non-government organizations to work together to address the ‘most pressing crisis of our time.’
“We have seen how a single crisis or disaster can cause significant delays in our progress. The only way to sustain our growth is by ensuring our country’s resilience against the impact of climate change. Each of you has a significant role to play if we are to pass on a better planet for our children,” Chua added.
The NEDA has proposed the theme of the next Philippine Development Plan to be “Saving Our Planet, Saving Our Country,” to highlight the importance of climate change to the country in the coming years.
Chua assured the public that the Philippine government will continue to pursue human capital development and inclusive economic growth. (JAFD/PIA-IDPD)
