Towards a Low-Carbon Economy for the Philippines
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Stakeholders from the public, private, and industry sectors were gathered in a policy forum organized by the National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST PHL) on February 2, 2017 at Hotel Jen Manila.
Driven towards a low-carbon economy for the Philippines, the forum reassessed the COP21 commitment of the Philippine government, validated the Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) target sunder the COP21 Paris Agreement, and determined the country’s pathway to growth under a low-carbon strategy.
National Scientist (NS) Mercedes B. Concepcion mentioned during her welcome remarks that the Philippines is among the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change and that the changing climate undoubtedly impedes the Philippines’ economic development.
The Philippines’ commitment on the 21st Conference of theParties (COP21) of reducing its greenhouse gas emission by 70% by 2030 has sparked controversy considering its performance as one of the lowest carbon-dioxide emitting countries in the world.
Dr. Ely Anthony Rosales Ouano, Outstanding Young Scientist (OYS) 1980 and former principal environment specialist at the Asian Development Bank, presented an analysis of the COP21 and the Philippines’ INDC Commitment. He delivered a brief background of various frameworks were discussed: the Rio Development of 1992 on Environment and Development, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement; and the NDC of both developed and developing countries.
“The Philippines’ INDC is very similar to developed countries,” said Dr. Ouano. This assumption, as he expounded, implies that the Philippines has to behave and will have to expect the responsibilities of a developed country; leading to an increase in cost of electricity generation by Php 1.20 per kilo Watts per hour and gasoline/diesel fuel by Php 2.00 per liter in order to pay for the carbon dioxide emissions.
The socio-economic implications of the COP21 were discussed by Dr. Sarah Lynne Daway, assistant professor at the School of Economics, University of the Philippines Diliman. In an effort to contextualization the discussions revolving the Philippines’ INDC commitment, she presented a study on carbon footprint, inclusive growth and the fuel mix debate in the Philippines, which is co-authored by Dr. Geoffrey Ducanes, Dr. Majah-Leah Rabago, and NS Raul Fabella.
It was reiterated that the Philippines has a very small carbon footprint even among countries of a similar level of development. “The Philippines is quite ‘blameless in stratosphere’ [in terms of carbon emission],” Dr. Daway stated. It was also revealed that manufacturing growth is the key to a more inclusive growth and that carbon emissions and lower energy prices are necessary for this growth.
Silliman University confers honoris causa to National Scientist Edgardo Gomez
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National Scientist Edgardo Dizon Gomez received honorary degree (honoris causa) Doctor of Science from Siliman University for his pioneering works and invaluable contributions to marine biology. The conferment of the degree was held last February 10, 2017 at the Silliman University, Dumaguete City.
A distinguished marine biologist, NS Gomez is recognized for his outstanding pioneering contributions to invertebrate biology and ecology, giant clam culture and restoration, and coral reef assessment and conservation.
He has led pioneering research works on invertebrate zoology, coral reef science and assessment, and invertebrate aquaculture. He steered the world’s first national-scale assessment of damage to coral reefs, which brought widespread concern over the status coral reefs. This led to worldwide conservation initiatives, such as the Global Reefs and Risk Analysis, Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, and the International Coral Reef Action, among others.
NS Gomez obtained his Bachelor of Arts and BS Education summa cum laude in 1962 from De La Salle University. He earned his MS Biology in 1967 from St. Mary’s University Minnesota, and PhD Marine Biology from the University of California San Diego (Scripps Institution of Oceanography) in 1973. Currently, he is a professor emeritus at the University of the Philippines- Diliman.
Interacademy Partnership (IAP) For Health Workshop on Addressing Inequities in Health: Fostering Action on Social Determinants
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The National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST PHL) and the InterAcademy (IAP) Partnership for Health, in collaboration with the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD), the Academy of Sciences Malaysia, the Nigerian Academy of Science, and the University of the Philippines Manila, conducted a two-day workshop entitled “ADDRESSING INEQUITIES IN HEALTH: FOSTERING ACTION ON SOCIAL DETERMINANTS” on October 3-4, 2016 at The Manila Hotel, One Rizal Park, Manila.
The workshop was mainly focused on (1) determining the issues on the social determinants of health (SDH) in light of the social, economic, environmental, and demographic factors within the ASEAN region and (2) formulating recommendations and moving forward interventions with intersectoral collaboration. Representatives from the Academy, national academies of science and medicine in the ASEAN region, private institutions, and government participated in this workshop.