THE Philippines has expressed its commitment to reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 as stated under the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use.
In his letter to United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister Boris Johnson, President Rodrigo Duterte said the action areas expressed in the Leaders’ Declaration are consistent with the targets and goals of the Philippines in attaining sustainable forest management.
The Philippines’ support for the Leaders’ Declaration was upon the recommendation of Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, who is the Chairman-designate of the Climate Change Commission and head of the country’s delegation to the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties held here.
The action areas expressed in the Declaration include conserving forests and other terrestrial ecosystems and accelerating their restoration; and facilitating trade and development policies, internationally and domestically, that promote sustainable development along with sustainable commodity production and consumption that work to countries’ mutual benefit, and that do not drive deforestation and land degradation.
Reaffirming international financial commitments and significantly increasing finance and investment from a wide variety of public and private sources, while also improving its effectiveness and accessibility, to enable sustainable agriculture, sustainable forest management, forest conservation and restoration, and support for Indigenous Peoples and local communities, are also among the action areas in the Declaration.
On Nov. 2, Prime Minister Johnson announced that over 100 countries, including China, Russia, and Brazil had signed the Leaders’ Declaration. The Philippines was also among the countries in the list.
Duterte said the Declaration is also consistent with the Philippines’ National Climate Change Action Plan 2011-2028, “particularly under Ecological and Environmental Stability that is focused on the protection and rehabilitation of critical ecosystems, and restoration of ecological services.”
Duterte pointed out that “sustainable and resilient agriculture and forestry are essential for commodity production and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, promoting economic development, reducing poverty, food security and improving the livelihoods of billions of people.” (PR)