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Int’l confab links biodiversity and climate change

(Manila – February 1, 2011) - Some 300 local and international environmental


advocates, including scientists, researchers, academicians, policy makers and
representatives of international organizations, opened today an international conference
to discuss the relationship between biodiversity and climate change.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR) are jointly organizing the event, in cooperation with the
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), National Economic and
Development Authority (NEDA), DIVERSITAS, ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB),
World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Commission on Climate Change (CCC), DENR-Protected
Areas and Wildlife Bureau, Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural
Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), and the Philippine Council for
Aquatic and Marine Resources Research and Development (PCAMRD).

The three-day International Conference on Biodiversity and Climate Change at the


Philippine International Convention Center will discuss and exchange research findings
on the interactions of biodiversity and climate change, status of biodiversity, effects of
climate change on biodiversity, and climate change mitigation and adaptation; identify
research gaps and conceptualize collaborative research undertakings on biodiversity
and climate change; identify strategies for mitigation and adaptation, including
education and advocacy; and link potential donors, and research experts and educators
for the conduct of future research and implementation of programs on biodiversity
conservation and climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Conference Chairperson Dr. Angel Alcala, former DENR Secretary, said paper
presentations and discussions will focus on the following themes: status of biodiversity;
causes and impacts of climate change on biodiversity and ecosystems; climate change
mitigation and adaptation; education and advocacy; and partner’s perspectives for
research on biodiversity and climate change.

Prominent environmentalists invited to address the Conference are Senator Loren


Legarda, chairperson, Senate Committee on Climate Change; Secretary Ramon Paje,
DENR; Secretary Patricia Licuanan, Commission on Higher Education; Secretary Mario
Montejo, Department of Science and Technology; Commissioner Naderev Sano,
Philippine Climate Change Commission; Country Director Renaud Meyer, UNDP;
Executive Director Rodrigo U. Fuentes, ACB; and Vice-Chairman Jose Ma. Lorenzo
Tan, World Wildlife Fund.

ACB Executive Director Rodrigo U. Fuentes said climate change exerts extreme
pressure on the existing terrestrial and marine biodiversity as well as the resulting
environmental benefits such as protection against erosion, flood and carbon dioxide
emissions.

“More than 18 per cent of the global biodiversity, approximately 35 per cent of the global
mangrove forests and 30 per cent of the coral reefs are found in the ASEAN Member
States. Owing to their long coastline (173,000-kilometer coastline) and island nature
(113,000-square kilometer ocean surface between land surfaces), many ASEAN
countries are most affected by climate change,” Director Fuentes explained.

He added that the interconnection of global climate change and biodiversity loss is now
widely recognized. “The effects of climate change on biodiversity have negative impacts
on human well being but biodiversity, through the ecosystem services it supports, also
makes significant contribution to both climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Biodiversity management is an important means for helping slow down climate change
and its impacts.”

The Philippine government as a party to the United Nations Framework Convention has
legislated Republic Act No. 9729, known as the Climate Change Act of 2009, which will
mainstream climate change in government policies. The Philippine President has issued
an Executive Order No. 474 mandating higher education institutions (HEI) to update
listings of Philippine biodiversity and create databases. A Commission on Higher
Education (CHED) research program dealing primarily, or in part, with biodiversity has
been implemented since last year. Scientific reports on this program are expected to be
presented in the ongoing Conference. #

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