Para po sa dagdagan ng Carbon Dioxide!

Para po sa dagdagan ng Carbon Dioxide!

Driver sir, please stop increasing Carbon Dioxide!



Malapit kami sa wakas ng AFAP. May maraming pagsasanay iton linggo! Tapos na ako kanina hapon sa presentasyon ng Bicol Risirts.

We are close to the end of AFAP. There are many assignments this week! I finished my presentation of Bicol research today.

Here is my paper. I presented a powerpoint version in Tagalog today. I want to keep developing it. I welcome your comments toward it's improvement.

Jason

AFAP 2008 Bikol Research
Jason Agar
Paksa/Topic:
Government/Pamahalaan:
Influencing Factors in Implementing Climate Adaptation Policy in Bikol Region, Philippines

Introduksyon:
Global Climate Change (Climate Change) is a result of Global Warming trends tied to many factor of human activity. The destruction of forests and natural areas, the production of excessive amounts of carbon dioxide and other gases from human activities, especially transportation, energy production and manufacturing are negatively affecting the entire world.
The Philippines experiences the most extreme consequences of Climate Change. These consequences are hardest felt in the “Typhoon Belt” of the Bikol region. This paper compares two exemplary governments in the “Typhoon Belt” with regard to their current level of action toward addressing Climate Change and suggests what factors may be responsible for this.

Suliranin ng Pag-aaral:
Statement of the Problem:
Across the globe, impacts of climate change on human lives and ecosystems are already being experienced, and new studies suggest that unchecked climate change will have disastrous economic impacts especially in developing countries. The recent groundbreaking study by former World Bank chief economist Sir Nicholas Stern in the UK warns of a major global economic catastrophe which will be far worse than the two world wars and the great depression combined. That is, unless governments take bold steps to stop climate change by slashing the world’s carbon emissions.(1) ”The impacts of climate change will be most catastrophic to countries who are the least able to cope,” said Greenpeace Southeast Asia Climate and Energy campaigner Abigail Jabines. “The Philippines will lose billions of pesos to climate change. As it is, this is money that we can ill afford to spare.” (1) Added to this, Philippine production of carbon dioxide (a main Greenhouse Gas contributing to Global Warming) has doubled in the years between 1999 and 2006.(6)

Across the globe, impacts of climate change on human lives and ecosystems are already being experienced, and new studies suggest that unchecked climate change will have disastrous economic impacts especially in developing countries….That is, unless governments take bold steps to stop climate change by slashing the world’s carbon emissions.

These necessary bold steps to stop climate change represent the greatest challenge facing national and local governments to date. Never before in human history has a single issue affected so many people with such potentially adverse consequences.

The current global economic system has not valued long-term resource preservation or providing for future generations. It has relied upon scarcity mechanism in the economic system to initiate a conservation trend. At the same time it has been more convenient and profitable to ignore “externalities.” In a world where necessary resources such as clean air were unlimited and abundant this dishonest exclusion of the real costs of specific human activities would not be a problem. However, writes Sir Nicolas Stern in the 2006 Stern Report “Climate change is a result of the externality associated with greenhouse-gas emissions – it entails costs that are not paid for by those who create the emissions.”(7) “When people do not pay for the consequences of their actions we have market failure. This is the greatest market failure the world has seen. It is an externality that goes beyond those of ordinary congestion or pollution, although many of the same economic principles apply for its analysis.” (8) “This externality is different in 4 key ways that shape the whole policy story of a rational response. It is: global; long term; involves risks and uncertainties; and potentially involves major and irreversible change.” (8)

Global Climate Change, is affecting communities world wide, however it’s effects are first and hardest felt in the Philippines. “Extreme weather occurrence such as floods, droughts, forest fires, and an increase in tropical cyclones. These extreme weather events associated with climate change, and the disasters these have wrought, have caused losses amounting to billions of pesos. From 1975 to 2002, tropical cyclones have resulted to losses of 4.578 billion pesos due to damage to property, including damage to agriculture worth 3.047 billion pesos. Drought in Southern Mindanao in 1998, the 2nd hottest year on record, incurred crop losses amounting to 828 million pesos. And damages due to four successive tropical cyclones towards the end of 2004 cost the nation an estimated 7,615.98 million pesos.” (1)

Global and National Agreements
The Philippines has been internationally engaged with this issue for some time already.
Significant Milestones on the Philippine’s response to climate change (6)
 Created the Inter-Agency Committee on Climate Change (IACCC) in May 1991
 Signed the UNFCCC in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992.The Philippine Senate ratified on August 2, 1994.
 Signed the Kyoto Protocol on April 15, 1998

The Philippines has a number of international agreements already in place and listed above as well as national guidelines relating to sustainable development and climate change however until last year there was not a national forum to address the issue. On October 22nd-24th 2007 the first National Conference on Climate Change and Adaptation was held in Albay. From this conference the Albay Declaration was created and later approved by both houses of the legislature. It sets a national guideline for implementing Climate Adaptation on a local level.
It specifically calls for “…the mainstreaming of global warming concerns into the national and local planning, accounting and budgeting systems and to support local government, private and civil society initiatives for climate change adaptation.” (9)

Bikol
The Bikol region is especially affected by typhoons and experiences the brunt of the average 18-21 typhoons that pass through the Philippines each year (2). Local governments in this largely agricultural and economically depressed region must therefore manage maintaining and rebuilding it’s infrastructure on a regular basis as well as other tasks normally associated with running a city or region. Preparing for Climate Change is normal part of life for the residents of Bikol. When asked about the effect on the local economy of needing to rebuild so frequently after storms, Naga City Mayor Jesse Robledo answered,”We’re just used to it.”

The next level of tackling the problem of climate change involves examining the root causes and working to reverse them. This is knows as Climate Adaptation. It is one aspect of Sustainable Development, which seeks to preserve humanity and limited planetary resources for the benefit of current and future generations.

This paper asks and attempts to answer the question, “Why is there a difference in the implementation of Climate Adaptation programs between 2 local governments in the same region with similar general priorities (healthcare, education, and disaster preparation) who are affected by Climate Change in similar ways? From these results I will attempt to answer the question of: “What factors contribute to a government’s willingness to engage in activism relating to Climate Adaptation?”

Saklaw ng Pag-aaral
Scope and delimitation of study:
Two provincial governments in the same geographic area of Bikol, Philippines are compared in terms of general governing priorities and also programs to address Climate Change or Climate Adaptation. This paper uses the assumption that the elected officials are speaking truthfully. This paper assumes that Global Climate Change is a reality. This paper is relying on a small sample of qualitative information to make behavioral projections about the motivation to address climate change or not. It is also making projections from this small source of data as to what might be limiting factors in the public implementation of Climate Adaption policies and programs. Given the time constraints on this project I do not have access to more in-depth statistical survey information that could be gathered first hand.

Metodolohiya:
Description of Methodology: Qualitative research and in-person interviews done over 5 days in Bikol.
Government priorities are similar, effects of Climate Change are similar. In addition to internet research. I have been provided with a powerpoint presentation on the specifics of Climate Adaptation by Nong Rangasa from CLIMA in Legaspi City.
I conducted seven interviews over the course of 5 days in 3 cities.
Two interviews with Jesse Robledo, Mayor of Naga City;
Two interviews with Nong Rangasa from CLIMA in Legaspi City;
One interview with Joey Salceda, Governor of Albay Province;
One interview with Noel Rosal, Mayor of Legaspi City;
One interview with Jaime Villanueva, Mayor of Tiwi.
Each interviewee was asked 2 main questions:
1. What distinguishes your local government from others in the region?
2. How is your government addressing Global Climate Change?

Kinalabasan ng Pag-aaral
Findings:
Although Naga City and Albay Province share many similarities their implementation of common Varied implementation between 2 neighboring, but different regions. Albay Province: Naga City: awareness is seen as a class issue and not a city priority by the Mayor. Climate change is seen as a middle or upper class issue, not one that affects everyday people who too busy working and trying to survive. In response to my question of “What programs do we have in regard to Climate Change?” He answered with,’ We have a program to monitor the air and water quality quarterly.” Naga City will be having its first conference as this paper is being persented – July 29th, 2008. “Perhaps that will raise awareness about the issue” said Robredo. It is clear that Naga City is heavily affected by Climate Change because of it’s location in the “Typhoon Belt” of Bikol. It is clear that the Mayor is a highly effective public official and if the issue were clear, then it’s likely that they would be acting on it already.

Both governments compared in this paper are exemplary in their own ways. Both prioritize healthcare, education and their ability to respond to natural disasters. Both governments place Non-Governmental Organizations on decision making committees to better coordinate NGO services to its’ citizens. “When governance works it, means being able to deliver the services…the outcomes, engaging with the citizens, making them achieve the best that they can be.” Jesse Robledo (4)

Naga City is a leader in “Transparent” government and inspiring the trust of it’s citizens. Over his 6 terms as and 16 years as Mayor of Naga City, Jesse Robledo has received over 150 awards. His is the most awarded government in the Philippines. Naga City is geographically a part of Albay province, but as an independent city has it’s own jurisdiction, and makes it’s own local laws. It funds it’s own police force and provides additional services to it’s citizen by agumenting federal incomes with additional local taxes. Naga city has it’s own Localized Typhoon Warning System.

The Governor of Albay Province, Joey Salceda is in his second year as Governor. According to Salceda, “Governance can structured”. If important government services are easy for people to use and access, then the job of governing is easier as well. In only his second year in the role of governor, Salceda is applying that idea to healthcare, education, and economic development. He has made it easier to access the national PhilHealth program in hospitals. A strong believer in
Liberal Arts Education (receiving his from Ateneo de Maynila), he has provided enough support
and incentives to provide “universal access” to a college education for Albay residents. He has also supported Local Action to implement Global Agreements to address Global Climate Change. One result of Global Warming is an increased severity of typhoons). Like Naga City, Albay Province is vulnerable to typhoon, tsunami, and in addition, volcanic eruption from Mt. Mayon. This makes investment in “climate proof” infrastructure (roads and buildings) very important, however not lasting. The Governor recognizes this in the long term and promotes “human capital development.” In other words, because roads and buildings will be washed away with natural disasters, the most valuable place to invest resources is into the people of Albay themselves. Salceda believes that prioritizing the flow of resources to local people will provide them with a “passport out of risk.” It will benefit those who remain here and must adapt the harshness of the climate as well as support those who choose to leave the area (a reality of the current Philippine Economy). This is a novel approach to governance that I interpret as an aspect of his “structural” approach to government. Salceda has a strong background and understanding of economics and is one of the main advisors to the administration of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. He also briefs the US State Department on the state of the Philippines Economy on a quarterly basis. Being that Climate Change is a result of the failure of complex global economic systems, I believe his understanding of these complex systems is a key factor in the activism found in Albay and not in Naga City.

There are 2 government sponsored offices deal with Climate Change in Albay.(10) The Albay Provincial Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO ) exists to provide disaster risk reduction direct services to the region. Housed in the same building is the Center for Initiatives and Research on Climate Adaptation (CLIMA). CLIMA, works to develop “Climate Proof Development.” “The main objective of CLIMA is to enhance the ability to cope of Albay residents in particular and Filipinos in general to climate risks brought about by a changing climate.” (11) CIRCA is the Philippine national model program for Climate Adaptation.

Climate Change is expected to severely affect communities and diminish attainment of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (UN MDG’s) and HDI (Human Development Index). Climate Change would affect the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equity and empowering women, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health and combating major diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability, and developing global partnerships. Because of this CIRCA Executive Director Nong Rangasa and staff are working to implement Govenor Salceda’s vision of Climate Proof Development and to ensure that Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction (CRR/DRR) are embedded into the central economic strategy; not as an afterthought or as contingency.

The decision to address the issue of climate change and to what extent communities are addressing it seems to be related to the proximity of the issue, education, in-depth understanding of causes and solutions, influence, and the will or motivation to achieve those goals. There is a reason that Albay Province is leading the Philippines in Climate Adaptation. It is an issue that is regularly faced by it’s citizens and government via typhoons or potential Tsunamis. This is the same for Naga City and Robledo. However, with Salceda there is a clear economic understanding of the impact and cost of Climate Change to the area and to all of the Philippines. There is leadership from officials (Salceda) to implement national and international objectives on a local level, and there are capable people working on a local level to implement programs in a comprehensive manner. Salceda is also a member of the dominant political party and very close to the President of the Philippines. With both Robledo and Salceda there is a philosophy of governance that values addressing the issue from a moral perspective. The Mayor of Naga City, Jesse Robledo goes above and beyond the minimums of government as an example for all of the Philippines in terms of transparent government. The Albay region is going beyond the minimum requirements of a status quo in terms of Climate Adaptation. Both Robledo and Salceda spoke of being motivated by what they believed was the right course of action.

Climate Change is the result of a failure of our market based economic system. Examining the cumulative affect of “externalities” has been avoided by those benefiting most from the current un-equitable system. Externalities such as clean air and water are really necessary inputs into the economic system that would make the current course of economic development deemed unprofitable if honestly accounted for. Global Climate Change is a testament to this.
Recognizing it as an issue to be prioritized is a first step resulting from additional education. The decision to act on the issue is an additional step. Understanding how to act on the issue is a further step hopefully followed by a change in action or behavior. To really address Climate Change and implement it locally takes an in-depth understanding of larger economic systems as well as the ability to implement those solutions on local level. Said Salceda, the way to address climate change is through “Global Agreements” and “local, grounded action.” It takes a “structural” understanding and vision to address the structural nature of Climate Change. After mapping the necessary steps involved and it takes the political will or motivation to follow those steps on a daily basis. “Do it right and do what is right”, said Salceda.
Rekomendasyon:
Recommendations:
Continue to develop the Albay CIRCA National Climate Proof Development program that other communities can replicate and call upon for technical expertise and guidance.
I strongly support their efforts to “mainstream” Climate Adaptation education in all grade levels, as well the rest of their development program. Promote Climate Proof Development ideals embedded into central economic strategies, not as an afterthought or as a contingency. Including Continued education on Climate Change and Adaptation as it relates to citizens at every level of society. Look for innovative way to encourage green business while addressing Climate Adaptation. For example, running Jeepenys and other transportation vehicles off of waste vegetable oil collected from local food vendors. Waste oil collectors profit from expanded markets, less air pollution from a cleaner carbon neutral fuel, waste oil is kept out of waterways and not resold for human consumption, and the streets smell better.

These kinds of actions will demonstrate the success and ignite curiosity and creativity toward the very practical goal of preparing the real challenges that we face in this world. I’m confident that if the program is made clear for others worldwide, more cities in the region, nation and beyond will be following along and building upon this exemplary program.





Bibliography:
1. Manila, 4 November 2006, Philippines Today
http://www.philippinestoday.net/index.php?module=article&view=79

2. Geography of the Philippines
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_the_Philippines

3. Good Governence Definintion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_governance
Global Climate Change: Definintion

4. Interview 1: Mixing politics and good governance, Jesse Robledo
http://pcij.org/blog/?p=1642

5. Klima, Climate Change Center
http://www.klima.ph/science.html

6. ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE CDM: THE PHILIPPINE INITIATIVES,
Ma. Gerarda Asuncion D. Merilo
www.ap-net.org/docs/miyazaki/21%20Philippines-rev.pdf

7. Stern Review on the economics of climate change, 2006, Chapter 2 Economics, Ethics and Climate Change
http://www.hmtreasury.gov.uk/media/5/7/Chapter_2_Economics_Ethics_and_Climate_Change.pdf

8. The New Economist Blog, 10/30/ 2006, Climate change:
"the greatest market failure the world has seen"
http://neweconomist.blogs.com/new_economist/2006/10/stern_review_2.html

9. Albay Declaration. PS Resolution no. 191. Adopted 11/6/07 by the Fourteenth Congress of the Republic of the Philippines, First Regular Session.

10. Powerpoint: CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION ACTION,
GOVERNOR JOEY SARTE SALCEDA, ASEAN+6 CITY FORUM ON CLIMATE CHANGE,
The Greening of ASEAN Cities, 26-27 June 2008, Bangkok, Thailand

11. CIRCA Brochure, July 2008