Quezon City launches climate action program

The local government of Quezon City on Thursday launched a new environmental program to take urgent action in addressing the climate crisis.

Mayor Joy Belmonte led the launch of the Climate Action Implementation (CAI) program, in collaboration with C40 Cities and the UK government's foreign aid agency UKAID, at a ceremony attended by environment stakeholders, government officials in the areas of climate change and energy, business leaders, international development partners, financing institutions, academics and civil society groups, professional associations, and non-governmental organizations.

Belmonte said the program will be funded by the government of the United Kingdom to implement climate change actions and mainstreaming activities based on the city’s enhanced local climate change action plan.

“The CAI will definitely expedite the city’s climate action initiatives as we aspire to be the leading city in advancing inclusive, ambitious, and evidence-based climate actions in the Philippines to provide a livable and quality community for all,” Belmonte said in a statement.

“This partnership will surely intensify our commitment in protecting every QCitizen against the effects of climate change. We hope that this will be the beginning of our future collaborations for a safe, healthy, and greener society,” she added.

Belmonte said the program will focus on policies that will enhance “energy efficiency, amend the green building code, and expand the adoption of renewable energy in government-owned, commercial, and residential buildings.”

She said it will help the city to become carbon neutral by 2050, adding that it will secure a “greener future” for the residents.

Since 2015, Quezon City has been an active member of the C40 Cities, which is a global network of mayors taking action to confront the climate crisis.

The city government said it is also among 14 cities across Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America that received technical assistance and capacity building from C40 through the funding of the UK Government. — Richa Noriega/BM, GMA News