MANILA, Philippines- Kapwa nilagdaan ng Pilipinas at World Economic Forum (WEF) ang mga kasunduan na may kinalaman sa blue carbon ecosystem at pagtugon sa plastic pollution sa sidelines ng 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) sa Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Nilagdaan ni Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ma. Antonio Yulo-Loyzaga ang mga kasunduan para sa gobyerno ng PIlipinas at WEF Center for Nature and Climate managing director Neo Gim Huay.
Nakabalangkas sa dalawang kasunduan ang pagsisikap ng Pilipinas at WEF kung paano poprotektahan at ibabalik ang blue carbon ecosystem at tugunan ang plastic pollution.
“The Philippines is a very important economy, being an archipelago. So, we hope that these agreements can catalyze a lot more communities, initiatives, public policy and corporate involvement in addressing and protecting our ecosystems,” ayon kay Gim Huay.
“The government is putting in place very progressive policies to address plastic pollutions including the extended producer responsibility where producers also need to be responsible and help manage the ways from consumption,” dagdag na pahayag ni Gim Huay.
Winika pa nito na gusto niya ang “kinds of blue carbon marine protection projects” sa Pilipinas, inalala nito ang kanyang naging karanasan sa diving sa Tubbataha sa Palawan, na kanyang tinawag na “one of the best marine parks in the world.”
Binigyang-diin din ni Gim Huay ang kahalagahan ng pakikipagtulungan at makatrabaho ang administrasyon ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. na ayon sa kanya ay “driven to ensure a sustainable ecosystem and with global collaboration to translate commitments to tangible and practical solutions for communities on the ground.”
Inulit naman ni WEF head of Ocean Action Agenda and Friends of Ocean Action Alfredo Giron Nava ang sentimyento ni Gim Huay sabay sabing ang suporta ni Pangulong Marcos ay “extremely instrumental,” binigyang diin na hindi ito magma- materialize nang walang tulong mula sa pamahalaan.
“The Philippines, being the leader, is just such a clear example of what can be accomplished in a global scale,” ayon kay Nava.
Samantala, matapos lagdaan ang “twin agreements,” kapwa naman sisimulan ng Pilipinas at WEF na magbahagi ng kanilang “best practices” sa mga komunidad, civil society at corporate sector para i-translate ang mga kasunduan “into practical progress.” Kris Jose
