Harvested News

The coastline of Vietnam is increasingly exposed to natural disasters, resulting in significant human and economic losses, but current risk management measures prove inadequate. A new resilience development strategy is urgently needed ─ otherwise, additional economic growth over the next decade in the range of billions of dollars could be wiped away by natural shocks, according to a new report by the World Bank. The…

As the country faces more destructive typhoons, intense rains, and severe flash floods due to climate change, it is vital to integrate science-based information in the development plans of local government units (LGUs). Dr. Alfredo Mahar Lagmay, executive director of the University of the Philippines Resilience Institute (UPRI), underscored this point in a webinar organized by state think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) as…

In observance of the annual World Habitat Day, with this year’s theme “Housing For All: A Better Urban Future,” the Climate Change Commission (CCC) urged leaders from the public and private sectors to enable sustainable and climate-adaptive systems within the housing sector in order to improve shelter and other human settlement concerns within cities and communities. Observed every first Monday of October, World Habitat Day…

The Brunei Climate Change Secretariat under the Brunei Darussalam National Council on Climate Change (BNCCC) is in the process of coming up with operation documents to set activities and initiatives, to achieve the 10 core strategic areas under the Brunei Darussalam National Climate Change Policy (BNCCP). These key strategic areas, with objectives under the BNCCP to be implemented in the next 15 years, include industrial…

The Climate Change Commission (CCC) has tapped 16 academic institutions to provide technical assistance to their respective local government units (LGUs) on the development of Local Climate Change Action Plan (LCCAP). CCC has slated several sessions this month for the Accelerated Climate Action and Transformation (ACT) online conference to orient representatives of 16 higher education institutions (HEIs) on climate science, issues, vulnerabilities, and risks, as…

Increasing awareness and educating the public are essential in the response to climate change. It will help create understanding among the society on the cause and effects and the impact of climate change, Permanent Secretary (Higher Education) at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Dr Haji Azman bin Ahmad said. He stressed that one of the major tasks in preparing the community to adapt to climate…

Prime Minister Hun Sen has firmly reiterated the Kingdom’s commitment to contribute to global efforts in dealing with climate change issue. “Despite limited resources and capabilities, Cambodia is highly committed, with political will, to contributing to global efforts in addressing climate change according to key principles of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, especially the principle of ‘Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective…

About 6,000 families in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak will benefit from a Green Climate Fund (GCF)-funded project on boosting farmers’ resilience amid water insecurity caused by climate change.The figure was released at a meeting on October 6 between the provincial People’s Committee and a delegation from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) to discuss the 33-million USD project on strengthening the resilience of smallholder agriculture to climate change-induced water…

Climate scientists across Asia have called for urgent action and stronger collaboration in addressing climate change in developing countries, despite the setbacks brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. APIK Indonesia Network (Indonesia Expert Network for Climate Change and Forestry) chairman Mahawan Karuniasa emphasized the need for a low carbon and sustainable recovery from the pandemic. In a statement, Karuniasa said that the current situation should…

The Department of Education (DepEd) has launched the Rapid Assessment of Damages Report (RADaR) mobile and web applications to ensure immediate response interventions and learning continuity in the event of disasters and other emergencies. DepEd launched the mobile and web applications on Sept. 22 and 24 in partnership with Save the Children Philippines and Prudence Foundation. “The RADaR mobile and web applications will support our…

In celebration of International Literacy Day today, the Climate Change Commission (CCC) underscored the role of climate educators in enhancing the country’s climate science literacy to effectively communicate climate change impacts and adaptation pathways to vulnerable communities in the country. International Literacy Day is celebrated on September 8 every year to raise awareness and concern for literacy problems that exist within our local communities as well as…

Understanding that Vietnam is one of the most heavily suffered countries of climate change, the Government has already introduced the national adaptation plan to this environmental issue in the period from 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050. Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) has, therefore, prepared its own solutions to successfully carry out this plan, ensuring both social security and sustainable development.k In the last 50…

The Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has signed an agreement with the Energy Development Corp. (EDC) for the conservation of the 11 most critically endangered native tree species in the Philippines. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by ERDB Director Henry Adornado and EDC Corporate Support Function Group Head and Assistant Vice President Regina…

The Mekong Delta, Vietnam's agriculture hub, needs $4.7 to $6.7 billion in 2021-2025 for smart projects to tackle climate change, the World Bank says. A report released by the bank last week says there are considerable opportunities for further development of the Mekong Delta region, which spans 3.94 million hectares (9.7 acres) and is home to 17.5 million people, or a fifth of the country’s…

As the world grapples with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and starts dealing with its longerterm impacts, governments and societies take a moment to reflect on what we can learn from this crisis and use these lessons to build a better future. We would underline three key lessons. With more than half of the global population locked down, the first lesson learned is the…

Oceans play an essential role for life on earth by generating most of the oxygen we breathe, providing us with food, regulating our climate, cleaning the water we drink and delivering a variety of valuable ingredients for medicinal uses. However, humans are continuously threatening the oceans by carrying out destructive fishing practices, overfishing, and creating pollution which in turn leads to coral bleaching and other…

The Rotary Club of East Davao and the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) have seen the urban container gardening (UCG) as one of the best solutions to address hunger and climate change, especially as the country faces a health crisis.  “Urban gardening is a practical and uncomplicated method of growing plant-based food that doesn’t require wide agricultural lands or even a backyard. You…

A Green New Deal (GND) to tackle climate change and economic inequality has captured the imagination of many. In the United States, a non-binding resolution calls on the federal government to wean the country from fossil fuels and curb planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions across the economy while aiming to guarantee new high-paying jobs in clean energy industries. Inspired by President Franklin D. Roosevelt's response to…

A Jakarta-based non-government organization has launched on Thursday “MapaKalamidad.ph,” a web-based, flood reporting platform to help disaster authorities gather fast, reliable life-saving information in times of natural calamities in the Philippines. MapaKalaimidad was launched by Yayasan Peta Bencana, or Disaster Map Foundation, during a webinar entitled “Digital Bayanihan! Social Media for Humanitarian Action.” The launch of the project was done in partnership with the Office of…

According to the World Bank, the global population is projected to reach 8.5 billion by 2030 with two-thirds of this number living in cities. From that, an estimated 90 million people will move to cities in the ASEAN region.  This means that urban dwellers would reflect 45 percent of ASEAN’s population where millions of people, especially those living in vulnerable places along river banks, canals…