The Climate Change Commission (CCC) strengthened its partnership with the Local Climate Change Adaptation for Development, Inc. (LCCAD) to enhance local government units’ (LGU) capacity in formulating and updating Local Climate Change Action Plans (LCCAPs).
CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director (VCED) Robert E.A. Borje and LCCAD Executive Director Manuel “Nong” C. Rangasa formalized the partnership as part of the CCC’s ongoing capacity-building initiatives.
The MOU enables the CCC and LCCAD to work together in enhancing LGUs’ LCCAPs and integrating these into other local plans, such as the Comprehensive Land Use Plan, the Comprehensive Development Plan, and Contingency Plans.
“We are strengthening partnerships with our stakeholders to further build the capacities of LGUs as frontliners of climate action,” VCED Borje shared.
“Transformative climate action can be achieved through partnerships – partnerships based on principles of cooperation, good governance, and shared advocacy in building the nation’s overall climate resilience,” VCED Borje added.
Among the key outcomes of the partnership are recommendation of appropriate climate and disaster database development and modeling technology to support the LCCAPs, and establishing enabling mechanisms for LGUs to implement their climate change adaptation and mitigation initiatives.
“Enhancing the capacities of key players, including agencies, LGUs, and other stakeholders, will allow us to develop and share best practices between regions, particularly those communities with common vulnerabilities,” said Mr. Rangasa.
By collaborating with key stakeholders and launching capacity-building activities, the CCC vows to constantly support the LGUs in the formulation, planning and implementation of climate change action plans in their respective areas.
“The key to a climate-resilient Filipino nation is to strengthen the cooperation between and among our stakeholders, including the LCCAD, on mainstreaming climate change adaptation and mitigation in local development and investment planning across the country,” said CCC Commissioner Albert P. Dela Cruz Sr.
The CCC’s data show that LCCAP submissions increased by 95 percent, from 715 submissions in 2021 to 1,397 as of 31 December 2022. The CCC’s target is to have 100% compliance from 1,715 LGUs by FY 2024.
The LCCAP serves as the LGU’s plan towards enhancing local climate resilience. The plan includes information on fit-for-purpose climate actions anchored on the LGU’s site-specific risks and vulnerabilities.
For more information on the CCC’s climate mainstreaming activities, visit www.climate.gov.ph and www.facebook.com/CCCPhl.
