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The Philippines is expected to provide – and gain – valuable inputs on further reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions when it hosts two events on climate change mitigation organized by the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Secretariat starting July 16.
Over 150 participants from the Asia-Pacific and eastern European regions are expected to attend the regional training for Designated National Authorities (DNAs) on July 16-17, followed by the Workshop on Enhancing Regional Distribution of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Projects on July 18-20. Both events will be held at the headquarters of the Asian Development Bank in Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje said the Aquino administration is deeply honored to host this back-to-back meeting, saying that the Philippines, since signing and ratifying the Kyoto Protocol, has always been supportive in developing capacities on CDM as part of the fight against global warming and climate change.
“We look forward to the country’s participation in these twin events, as these will be excellent venues for DNAs to exchange knowledge and opportunities, and share the best practices and key lessons on CDM,” he said.
Aside from the DENR, which is also the country’s DNA for CDM, representatives from the Department of Energy and the Department of Science and Technology will also make up the 60-pax Philippine delegation to the events.
The training aims to build capacities of participating DNAs on improving strategies to attract more investments in CDM projects in their respective countries. CDM projects are those that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by replacing old and inefficient fossil fuel technology with environmentally sustainable ones. Examples of these projects are those involving renewable and non-renewable energy, transport, manufacturing, and waste handling and disposal.
The workshop, on the other hand, aims to improve the distribution of CDM projects across the Asia-Pacific and Eastern European regions by promoting and supporting activities in countries where there are fewer such projects. Sessions will involve cross-sharing of practices, lessons, and experiences, as well as discussions on technical, financial and policy issues. The workshop is co-organized by the ADB and the Japan-based Institute for Global Environmental Strategies.
The Philippines currently ranks 10th globally in terms of the number of CDM project activities, having 58 projects registered with the CDM Executive Board of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change or UNFCCC.
Paje cited the successful implementation of these CDM projects as contributory to the country’s perfect score under the indicator “carbon dioxide per capita” in the 2012 Environmental Performance Index recently published by the Yale and Columbia Universities.
As the Philippines DNA, the DENR approves CDM projects that have been evaluated by the CDM Steering Committee. The DENR also provides technical inputs to and expert opinion on climate change mitigation, policy reforms and consultations relevant to improving CDM rules, modalities and procedures.
The Kyoto Protocol is an international environmental treaty under the UNFCCC, signed and ratified in 1997 by almost 200 countries. It is aimed at stabilizing concentrations of GHGs in the atmosphere by having 37 industrialized countries and the European community commit to reducing GHG emissions. One mechanism that allows these countries to achieve their targets is through CDM, where industrialized countries promote and invest in clean development activities in developing countries such as the Philippines.
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EnvironmentNatural Resources Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje rallied last week his field officials to ensure the success of the National Greening Program, saying the program has full support of the President.
“There is no reason to fail considering that President Aquino has amply given all the support this program (NGP) needs to succeed,” Paje told the regional executive directors (REDs), regional technical directors, and the provincial and community environment and natural resources officers (PENROs, CENROs) attending the 2-day National Convention of Field Officers held May 31-June 1, 2011 at the DENR Social Hall in Quezon City.
Paje also challenged the field officials “to give their best shot” as their performance in implementing the NGP will be “highly taken into consideration’ in the evaluation of officials for promotions.
“Those who will be performing will be rewarded. Wala pong biro yan,” Paje said, stressing that the field officers will be evaluated fairly based on a purely-merit system “without regard for personal ties or past associations” he has made through over 20 years at the DENR where he started his career as a casual forester.
Paje said the NGP-driven performance-based incentive scheme will first zero in on the PENRO and CENRO positions, with an instruction to DENR Assistant Secretary for Management and Finance Corazon Davis to reserve the vacant PENRO and CENRO posts as rewards for NGP’s top performers especially those that are on an acting capacity.
“If you are a CENRO, you will automatically become a PENRO. Those who are not yet full-pledged CENRO (with temporary appointment), we will make you full-pledged CENROs. Performance lamang, wala nang iba,” Paje stressed.
Of the 168 CENRO plantilla positions, 47 have yet to be filled; while 25 remain vacant in the 73 PENRO plantilla posts.
The incentive scheme forms part of Paje’s overall program to strengthen DENR’s performance-based promotion system to beef up the national leadership’s efforts in professionalizing the Philippine bureaucracy.
But Paje was quick to clarify that the quality of their performance will be determined by the survival of the seedling declared in their performance and not merely on the number of seedling planted.
“Remember, the NGP is a national priority program of President Aquino, and this is not for show but for grow. Gone are the days when tree planting activities were just to set world records or just for photo opportunities,” Paje noted.
At the same time, Paje asked “doubting Thomases” to be forthcoming this early with their hesitation to go all out to meet their targets to allow for management to act appropriately in their particular case.
“We will make sure that everybody performs. Kung sino sa inyo ang tingin ay hindi kayang ipatupad ang programang ito, sabihin na ninyo ngayon,” Paje said.
The performance-based incentive will be based on the field officials’ scorecard in the yearly targets given them and will be validated with the use of state-of-the art technology such as satellite mapping and internet-based technology through NGP’s website at the www.ngp.denr.gov.ph
Saturday, 14 July 2012 00:00 | 