UK vows to help fund PHL's climate change adaptation

The British government vowed Wednesday to help fund the Philippines’ climate change adaptation and mitigation initiatives, lauding the latter’s commitment to meet the challenge.

In his speech during a  climate change forum in the Senate, British Ambassador Asif Ahmad said the European Union as a whole is committed to address climate change and ‘we are backing this (commitment) with money” through the UK climate finance initiative.

“Finance will go primarily to countries that are with us.  There is a condition attached to it.

We are not going to throw money at a country that simply does not understand the challenge, have no message themselves, and that their efforts are superficial.  I’m glad to say that the Philippines is not one of those,” he said.

“I think  the commitment here is real but we want to help you achieve those ambitions,” he added.

He said that the immediate challenge is for building climate resilient communities, sustainable use of energy, and making sure these energy resources are reliable and the community helps promote livelihood, health, and education.

Ahmad noted that the Philippines is a lucky country even if the Filipinos does not see it that way.

“If you look at your existing source of energy, you have geothermal power, abundant sunshine. You have, in some places like Boracay, turbines that can catch wind. Those things are there  you can do more to harness that sources of energy,” he said.

The British ambassador also urged Senator Loren Legarda—who, being the chairperson of the Senate finance committee, holds a very powerful position in influencing how the government will spend its budget—to prioritize ecologically progressive initiatives.

“Ask every government department to explain in what way would their policy sustain the commitment the Philippines has made. If you made those changes, we will have a very different conversation. You will be the poster child when it comes to compliance with not just the commitment that you made in the climate change negotiation, you do something that will ultimately will be seen by your own people,” he said.

“I will work with you,  we’ll fund projects with you, and we’ll share our experience with you.  We are proud to have Philippines as our partner, let’s make this happen,” Ahmad concluded. — TJD, GMA News