The Climate Change Commission (CCC) and the Embassy of France to the Philippines and Micronesia have expressed commitment to strengthen partnership and development cooperation on climate action.

CCC Vice Chair and Executive Director (VCED) Robert E.A. Borje received French Ambassador to the Philippines, H.E. Michele Boccoz, and exchanged priorities and strategies for implementing local climate action.

“We express our gratitude to the government of France and the French Development Agency (AFD) for supporting the Philippines in implementing policy initiatives and sustainable solutions to address major climate and environmental challenges in the country,” Borje said in a news release on Thursday.

Among the priorities of CCC and French Embassy is the development and updating of risk-informed Local Climate Change Action Plans (LCCAPs) by local government units.

Through AFD’s ongoing technical support, LGUs will be provided with capacity development and enhancement activities, as well as tools which are useful in the formulation and updating of LCCAPs.

“AFD will continuously provide necessary assistance to the CCC in policy formulation and updating, as well as in enhancing local capacities on LCCAP development towards improved climate resilience,” Boccoz said.

As of March 2, 1,399 or 81.57 percent of the 1,715 LGUs had submitted their LCCAPs to the CCC. Currently, the LCCAP Quality Assurance Mechanism is being developed based on guidelines set by CCC and DILG.

Following the Philippines Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) by the World Bank Group, both officials explored other possible areas of collaboration aligned with the priorities specified in Chapter 15 of the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, such as the updating of the National Framework Strategy on Climate Change (NFSCC) and the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

The NFSCC and the NDC are policies and frameworks which serve as basis of local climate action plans.

Consistent with the pronouncements of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on strengthening cooperation with allied countries and development partners, the CCC institutionalized a contact group called “ENACT: Empowering Nurtured Alliance for Climate Action and Transformation.”

ENACT will serve as a platform among CCC, embassies and development partners to discuss, collaborate, and collectively implement investment-led transformative climate action. (PNA)