We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
Vanishing Ice, Vanishing Giants: The Urgent Tale of Polar Bears on International Polar Bear Day
by: Assaf Levy, BioDB International Polar Bear Day, celebrated on February 27th, highlights the plight of polar bears amidst the melting Arctic ice and climate change. It's a day that calls for global awareness and action towards preserving these majestic creatures and their h.....»»
Philippine calls for stronger action on climate change
Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual has called for stronger sustainable trade and development initiatives to address climate change during the second ministerial meeting of the Coalition of Trade Ministers on Climate on the sidelines of the 13th World Trade Organization ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates......»»
IP youth in Maguindanao calls for climate change action
IP youth in Maguindanao calls for climate change action.....»»
UN report warns of catastrophic risks to Earth systems
Melting glaciers, unbearable heat and space junk: a month before crunch climate talks in the United Arab Emirates, a UN report published Wednesday warns about irreversible impacts to the planet without drastic changes to connected social and physical systems. The Interconnected Disaster Risks Report identifies thresholds it calls "risk tipping points," defined as "the moment at which a given socioecological system is no longer able to buffer risks and provide its expected function" -- after which the risk of catastrophe increases significantly. It focuses on six areas that connect the physical and natural world with human society: accelerating extinctions, groundwater depletion, mountain glacial melt, space debris, unbearable heat and an "uninsurable" future. "As we indiscriminately extract our water resources, damage nature and biodiversity, and pollute both Earth and space, we are moving dangerously close to the brink of multiple risk tipping points that could destroy the very systems that our life depends on," said Zita Sebesvari, the report's lead author. For example: Underground water reservoirs represent an essential freshwater resource around the world and today mitigate half of the losses of agriculture caused by droughts, which are being exacerbated by climate change. But aquifers themselves are now depleting faster than they can be naturally replenished: Saudi Arabia has already crossed the groundwater risk tipping point while India isn't far behind. In the case of accelerating extinctions, the report highlights the cascading effects of extinctions throughout food chains. "The gopher tortoise, which is threatened with extinction, digs burrows that are used by more than 350 other species for breeding, feeding, protection from predators and avoiding extreme temperatures," the report said. If the gopher tortoise goes extinct, the gopher frog that helps control insect populations will likely follow, triggering effects throughout the entire forest ecosystem of the southeastern United States. Mountain glaciers that store vast amounts of freshwater meanwhile are melting twice as fast as they did in the past two decades. "Peak water" -- the point when a glacier produces its maximum amount of water runoff due to melting -- has been reached or is expected to be reached within the next ten years across small glaciers in Central Europe, Western Canada and South America. "The 90,000+ glaciers of the Himalayas, Karakoram and Hindu Kush mountains are at risk, and so are the nearly 870 million people that rely on them," the report said. In the case of space junk, the report warns Earth's orbit is in danger of becoming so full of debris that a collision triggers a chain reaction that threatens humanity's ability to operate satellites -- including those that provide vital early warning monitoring against disasters. The report finds most solutions currently being implemented focus on delaying problems rather than genuinely addressing the root causes. "We need to understand the difference between adapting to risk tipping points and avoiding them, and between actions that delay looming risks and those that move us towards transformation," it said. The post UN report warns of catastrophic risks to Earth systems appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
SRI Forum highlights ways for sustainable farming
A one-day forum on the System of Rice Intensification attended by several foreign SRI practitioners highlighted the importance of weaning farmers away from the destructive traditional planting, including the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, weedicides, and herbicides that harm not just the farmer but also the environment. Held at the Apacible Hall of the Department of Agriculture, the SRI Global Forum– the first one, held in the country– saw the participation of Nigeria, Iraq, India, Australia, and other ASEAN member countries with speakers explaining their difficult climb to scaling the SRI program in their respective countries. Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio S. Sebastian for Rice Industry Development narrated that the SRI program in the Philippines often referred to as unidentified field observation several decades ago continues to be struggling because farmers stuck to conventional ways of planting with the use of chemical fertilizers. He said Congress has just granted the SRI program a budget of P250 million for 2024. The keynote was delivered by Prof. Norman Uphoff of Cornell University and lead convenor of SRI International. Dr. Khidir Hameed of Iraq, a country with a severe lack of water for farming explained how SRI worked in their fields despite less water. He said, that with El Nino, SRI becomes more urgent to ensure the country’s rice production even at a much-reduced water level would not suffer so it won’t import all of its rice requirements. SRI is now being scaled in most of the 50 countries that adopted it as a way of addressing rising production inputs costs, and water insufficiency (because of past and coming El Nino) and to help stop soil degradation from years of chemical fertilizer application. Since agriculture contributes to climate change, it is also the sector most vulnerable to climate change impacts. Part of the critical adaptation to climate change is the capacitation of farmers on resiliency strategies. Through the Climate-resiliency Field School, farmers’ education and technology sharing and experiential practice of technologies are propagated, particularly in water-deficient and rainfed areas. CrFS is flexible and experimental and promotes learning across sustainability principles, economically rewarding, low-carbon agriculture, and climate-informed farming practices. The learning farm included a study on adapting local varieties through participatory varietal selection, a comparison of organic farming and farmers’ practices in the area, and the SRI farming methods. The SRI way calls for direct seeding and, depending on the farmers’ beliefs, organic farming or when feasible, a mix of application of organic and chemical fertilizers. However, the SRI practitioners present at the forum were staunch advocates of purely organic farming. Observations raised by the forum delegates were: The utilization of SRI is expanding in various Asian and other countries but it is still a work in progress. SRI provides an opportunity for farmers to learn continuously about a more efficient and effective system of rice production. Successful utilization of SRI for other crops has been documented in several countries as shared by several country representatives. There should be more promotion of SRI through the provision of government and institutional support as well as regional cooperation (for example sharing of best practices) to expand its application. The evaluation and updating of SRI principles is a continuous process. There are a variety of adaptations of SRI. It should be noted that what is important is the use of the SRI principle rather than the technology itself. The ultimate goal is the attainment of a productive, sustainable, and environment-friendly production practice that recognizes the importance of proper ecological management. The forum, according to Sebastian is in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s marching order for the Department of Agriculture to enhance the production of rice for the country's food security and rice sufficiency. The post SRI Forum highlights ways for sustainable farming appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lauryn Hill, Red Hot Chili Peppers draw fans to rainy Central Park aid fest
Lauryn Hill, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Jungkook drew tens of thousands of fans to Central Park despite torrential rains, as part of a marathon concert urging global development aid. Majestic rap icon Lauryn Hill graced the stage as her seminal album "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" turns 25, performing her smash single "Doo Wop (That Thing)" and reuniting The Fugees during the Global Citizen festival in New York. The legendary hip-hop trio performed tracks including "Killing Me Softly" and "Ready Or Not." "Africa needs to control their own natural resources. Haiti needs to control their own natural resources. The world, we need to stop famine," said member Wyclef Jean to cheers, as fans waved their lit phones. The message was in line with the aims of the day, which marries musical performance with calls to increase funding against global ills including poverty and climate change. The Red Hot Chili Peppers closed out the night with a set throwing back to their classics including "Can't Stop," "Scar Tissue," "Dani California," "Snow (Hey Oh)" and "Californication." And Jungkook had the poncho-clad crowd screaming and swaying along as he serenaded them with hits including "Still With You." Wearing acid-wash jeans and a brown shirt, the megastar told fans it was necessary to "make an impact together to make sure everyone, everywhere has access to their basic rights like food and education." He wasn't billed as a headliner but Jungkook was a major draw of the night: many drenched concertgoers streamed out of the park just after his set ended, even though the evening at that point was scheduled to continue for another three hours. Earlier Anitta brought her impressive twerks and dance party of a show to the stage, performing hits including her recent "Funk Rave." Brazil's biggest pop star called attention to the importance of protecting the Amazon rainforest, reminding fans it's "the lungs of our planet." Just prior to kicking off her booty-shaking set, she said that governments must do more to "protect the people there, the indigenous people, the communities there... whose only reality is the Amazon." Rappers including Busta Rhymes and Common put on a tribute to the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, one of many the city has hosted in recent months. Fight against hunger Taking place since 2012 as world leaders gather in New York for the UN General Assembly, Global Citizen distributes free tickets to supporters who pledge to take action such as sending letters to their governments in support of development aid. Pledges came from leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron, who announced via video message a $150 million commitment to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). "We have to fight together against poverty, climate change, and for biodiversity," Macron said. "This is why we want to take our part as well." The Rome-headquartered IFAD is an arm of the United Nations aimed at addressing poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries. Global Citizen welcomed Macron's commitment in a statement, adding that "much more needs to be done to provide crucial support to millions of smallholder farmers around the world, who produce 70 percent of food in low and middle-income countries." The institution urged governments to double their climate adaptation funding and make sure IFAD reaches its funding target of $2 billion by the end of 2023. Along with Macron, the organization said Norway had pledged $90 million to IFAD. The post Lauryn Hill, Red Hot Chili Peppers draw fans to rainy Central Park aid fest appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
ASEAN leaders agree on 5PC to address Myanmar crisis
JAKARTA, Indonesia – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday called for the complete implementation of the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) in Myanmar, a set of principles agreed upon by the Association of the Southeast Asian Nation leaders in April 2021 to address the political crisis in the country. Speaking at the 18th East Asia Summit (EAS) here, Marcos said that the Philippines believes that the key to any solution in Myanmar is the inclusive participation of all parties. He also reiterated the Philippines' support for the Special Envoy of ASEAN in pushing the Five-Point Consensus forward. "We maintain that endeavors by other parties to address the crisis should support and complement ASEAN's efforts, and should be done in consultation with the ASEAN Chair," Marcos said. The Five-Point Consensus calls for an immediate cessation of violence, constructive dialogue among all parties, an inclusive political process, the appointment of a Special Envoy of ASEAN, and the provision of humanitarian assistance. Marcos also called for the urgent realization of the Loss and Damage Fund (LDF) to help countries address the impacts of climate change. He said that countries with the smallest carbon footprints disproportionately bear the heaviest burden of climate change. "Climate financing, complemented by viable and effective technology transfer and country-specific capacity-building, is needed to expedite a just transition to a climate-resilient economy," Marcos said. He also sought the support of other EAS leaders for the development of the Philippines' strategic minerals supply and value chains. He said that this would boost the Philippines' efforts to ensure a resilient and sustainable future for the region. Marcos concluded his intervention by reaffirming the Philippines' commitment to an open and inclusive regional order where the rule of law and ASEAN Centrality remain the bedrock of an evolving regional architecture. The East Asia Summit is a regional forum held annually by leaders of, initially, 16 countries in the East Asian, Southeast Asian, South Asian, and Oceanian regions, based on the ASEAN Plus Six mechanism. Membership expanded to 18 countries including Russia and the United States at the Sixth EAS in 2011. The post ASEAN leaders agree on 5PC to address Myanmar crisis appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Greece blaze is ‘largest wildfire ever recorded in EU’
A forest blaze in Greece is "the largest wildfire ever recorded in the EU" and the bloc is mobilizing nearly half its firefighting air wing to tackle it, a European Commission spokesman said Tuesday. Eleven planes and one helicopter from the EU fleet have been sent to help Greece counter the fire north of the city of Alexandroupoli, along with 407 firefighters, spokesman Balazs Ujvari said. The EU's civil protection service said the fire has burnt over 810 square kilometers (310 square miles) -- an area bigger than New York City. "This wildfire is the largest in the EU since 2000, when the European Forest Fire Information System began recording data," the service said. Greece's fire service told AFP that the blaze was "still out of control" in the northeast region's Dadia National Park, a major sanctuary for birds of prey. Since it began on 19 August, the blaze has claimed the lives of 20 people, 18 of them migrants whose bodies were found in a region that is often used as an entry point from neighboring Turkey. The EU currently calls on a fleet of 28 aircraft -- 24 water-dumping planes and four helicopters -- supplied by member countries to help battle blazes in the bloc and in nearby neighbors. It is working on creating a standalone, EU-funded air wing of 12 aircraft that will be fully in place by 2030. "We do know that fires are getting more severe," Ujvari noted. "If you look at the figures every year in the past years, we are seeing trends which are not necessarily favorable, and that calls for of course more capacities at the member states' level." Greece has been ravaged by numerous fires this summer which the government attributes to climate change. The EU air deployment "underscores our commitment to swift and effective collective action in times of crisis," the EU's commissioner for crisis management, Janez Lenarcic, said. The post Greece blaze is ‘largest wildfire ever recorded in EU’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Food as human right
A recent Social Weather Stations survey showed that around 2.7 million Filipino families experienced hunger during the first quarter of 2023. A nationwide survey conducted among 1,200 adults found that 9.8 percent of Filipino families experienced “involuntary hunger” or hunger due to lack of food at least once in the past three months. Worldwide hunger is on the rise, affecting nearly 10 percent of the global population. The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates approximately 811 million people worldwide suffered from chronic hunger between 2020 and 2022. In a world where hunger and malnutrition continue to afflict millions — a crisis driven largely by conflict, climate change, the Covid-19 pandemic, and most of all, greed — we look back to a UN declaration that catalyzes action urging governments to prioritize policies and allocate resources to eradicate hunger and malnutrition. It emphasizes the need to adopt sustainable agricultural practices, promote equitable food distribution systems, and invest in rural development to enhance food security, which remains a pressing global issue. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 1948, indirectly addresses the right to food under various articles. However, the explicit articulation of the right by the UN came later. In 1976, the United Nations General Assembly formally recognized the right to adequate food as a human right through the adoption of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights — one of the key international human rights treaties that make up the International Bill of Human Rights. Article 11 of the ICESCR specifically acknowledges “the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living, including adequate food” and underscores the essential nature of the right to food. As of today, the covenant has been signed and ratified by 170 countries, including the Philippines. Hence, the right to food is a legal obligation of all State Parties, anchored on international law. There is more to hunger than just the mere lack of food. Ending the hunger crisis will take understanding its nature and the reasons why it exists in a world abundant in resources like our country, where the rich-poor divide is among the widest in East Asia and the Pacific region. Food as a human right knows no socio-economic status, ethnicity, or geographical location. Therefore, reinforcing the declaration’s principles of dignity, equality, and social justice is a responsibility placed on the governments and organizations to ensure the fulfillment of this right. Policymakers, enablers, and implementors should tackle the root causes of food insecurity. The triggers of food insufficiency — socio-economic disparities, unequal access to resources, and systemic injustices — are not to be left as a PowerPoint presentation file. It calls for comprehensive strategies that will balance economic development with sustainable food systems devoid of self-serving interests. Importantly, the entitlement to nourishment does not suggest that it is the responsibility of the government or any other organization to constantly supply food to every Filipino. Rather, it signifies that governments are obligated to establish circumstances and implement policies that guarantee accessibility to food, foster sustainable farming practices, and tackle concerns such as poverty, inequality, and food insecurity. We cannot feed hungry people with greed, nor break the cycle of poverty and ensure the long-term availability of food resources for future generations. The post Food as human right appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DENR’s Loyzaga meets with US-ASEAN Business Council
“Climate change adaptation is very important to us, and any contributions by way of nature-based solutions for adaptation and for disaster risk reduction are what we’d like to build our relationship with you on." This is what Environment Secretary Antonia Loyzaga told the delegates from the United States-ASEAN Business Council (US-ABC) when she recently met them to discuss how both organizations can work together in the fields of climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction (DRR), and plastic pollution. The meeting, held on July 12 in Taguig City, was a follow-through of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and US-ABC to strengthen collaboration on sustainability, climate change, green finance, and environmental protection. Loyzaga said the DENR is looking at investment in prevention or ex-ante value from the private sector, particularly nature-based solutions such as forest conservation, control of river erosion, water conservation efforts, and investment in gray and green infrastructure. “We realize that the goal of the private sector has been primarily in providing relief during disasters, which we understand is valuable but is essentially an ex-post value to the country and to the communities. We hope that the (US-ABC) can also be an advocate for adaptation and not just mitigation which are both sides of the same coin,” Loyzaga told the US-ABC delegation. The other end of the stake, Loyzaga said, would be DRR which is ultimately what would impact the country’s trajectory toward economic and social development. Loyzaga encouraged the private sector to look beyond compliance to environmental, social, and governance or ESG in terms of emissions reduction, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and pollution management. She also urged them to look to adaptation and resilience-building of the communities where they work, as well as the ecosystems that they rely on. Loyzaga likewise reminded the private sector to help “clean up whatever it is you produced and released.” She said that one of the calls of the DENR is the need for businesses to look at investment and research towards the replacement of plastic. “What we want to do is to look for ways to produce materials which are sustainable, which are biodegradable, which are affordable but have the same functionality as the packaging materials that we now are using because they are optimal in terms of the products that we produce. That investment in the chemistry that is needed, I think, is within your reach and so that is one of the big pushes,” she said. Loyzaga also expressed hope the US-ABC can help the DENR bring forward the upliftment of the informal waste sector consisting of waste pickers in dumpsites and communal waste collection points. “The sector is particularly impacted by hazardous environments because of the waste that we generate and their involvement in the solid waste management industry,” Loyzaga said. “We hope that we can share that advocacy and we look for ways to actually innovate.” She added: “Waste picking, waste collection, waste sorting is a phenomenon not just in the Philippines, but in all countries in ASEAN. And so, we’re not the only ones who have that informal sector involved in this whole circular economy. They have been locked out of the value chain but they are part of the supply chain of the circular economy.” Loyzaga has been pushing for the integration of the informal waste sector into the expanded producer responsibility or EPR system for plastic packaging waste to ensure that no one is left behind as the country transitions toward a circular economy. US-ABC is the premier advocacy organization for American corporations operating within the Southeast Asian region. Worldwide, the Council's membership of nearly 170 companies generates almost US$7 trillion in revenue and employs more than 14.5 million people. The post DENR’s Loyzaga meets with US-ASEAN Business Council appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US envoy Kerry heads to China to restart climate talks
US climate envoy John Kerry will head to China on Sunday to meet with his counterpart Xie Zhenhua and restart stalled talks between the world's two biggest emitters of planet-warming gases. Kerry's trip to China -- his third as President Joe Biden's climate emissary -- follows weeks of record-setting summer heat that scientists say is being exacerbated by climate change. Bilateral climate talks stalled last year after Nancy Pelosi, then speaker of the US House of Representatives visited self-ruled Taiwan and infuriated Beijing, which considers the island its territory. But Kerry, a former secretary of state, has enjoyed comparatively cordial and consistent relations with China despite Washington and Beijing locking horns over Taiwan and a number of other thorny issues, including advanced semiconductors. His trip to Beijing also comes after two other high-profile visits by US officials -- first Secretary of State Antony Blinken, then Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen -- aimed at stabilizing US-China ties. Kerry was scheduled to depart for China on Saturday, according to the US State Department. The Biden administration has identified climate as an area for potential cooperation with Beijing, despite the tensions elsewhere. The restart of US-China climate talks will come on the heels of the hottest week on record globally, according to the World Meteorological Organization. June was already the hottest ever logged, according to US and European agencies. Kerry will aim to use his time in Beijing to engage with Chinese officials "with respect to increasing implementation and ambition and promoting a successful COP28", the State Department said, referring to the UN climate talks in November. Nearly 200 nations will gather in the United Arab Emirates for COP28 to thrash out ways to mitigate global warming and its impacts. Energy constraints As the leading producer of greenhouse gases driving climate change, China has pledged to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve complete carbon neutrality by 2060. President Xi Jinping has also said that the country will reduce its use of coal from 2026. But in April, China approved a major surge in coal power -- a move Greenpeace said prioritized energy supply over the emissions reduction pledge -- fuelling concerns that Beijing will struggle to meet its ambitious targets. "There are a number of factors that constrain the hands of energy planners in Beijing at the moment," Byford Tsang, a senior policy adviser at the climate-focused think tank E3G, told AFP. They include economic fallout from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has led to major disruptions in the global gas market, and reduced hydropower capacity in China due to severe droughts in recent years, Tsang said. Last summer, millions of people in southwest China faced rolling power cuts after crushing heatwaves led to an electricity supply crunch that forced factories to halt work, heightening domestic concerns over energy security. "I think it would be politically challenging for China to take a step forward on coal policy at this stage," added Tsang. During his visit, Kerry is also expected to bring up international climate finance efforts, following calls by Yellen during her Beijing trip for China to play a larger role. Kerry's trip will be closely watched in Washington after Republican lawmakers characterized it as him flying a carbon-spewing private jet halfway across the world to discuss climate with a political adversary. The post US envoy Kerry heads to China to restart climate talks appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
QC officially opens Green Awards, calls for entries
The Quezon City Government called last week on barangays, Sangguniang Kabataan, youth-based organizations and businesses to showcase their best practices on disaster resiliency and sustainability to be recognized in the first-ever Quezon City Green Awards. Launched in May, the Quezon City Green Awards recognizes and incentivizes groups and organizations in the city that implement outstanding and inclusive programs on disaster risk reduction and management and climate action. “Initiatives and solutions to the adverse effects of climate change and disasters should be people-centered and truly responsive to the challenges faced by and the circumstances of the communities. Their ideas will help the city develop better programs for every QCitizen, particularly for those who are most vulnerable and marginalized,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said. The awards have three categories: Green Award, Resiliency Award and Green and Resilient Champion. The Green Award recognizes institutions that have made significant contributions in addressing climate change and advancing sustainable practices, while the Resiliency Award honors initiatives that demonstrate resilience, preparedness and response in the face of natural- or human-made-induced disaster. The Green and Resilient Champion award, on the other hand, will be given to businesses and barangays that have initiated outstanding practices that deal with the impacts of climate change and disasters. To discuss the mechanics of the awards, the city conducted a Green Awards briefing among target participants on 3-10 June. Interested groups and organizations can register at the QC Green Awards microsite (greenawards.quezoncity.gov.ph). Entries must be submitted through the official Google form available on the same site, including all necessary means of verification and documents. The deadline for submission is 15 July 2023. Each entry will undergo intensive assessment and field validation by selected city departments. Finalists will also have to present their programs to the Green Awards pool of judges. A total of 16 exemplary organizations and institutions will be awarded in October. They will receive a trophy and a cash grant that they can use in their current and upcoming climate action and disaster risk reduction and management projects. Visit greenawards.quezoncity.gov.ph or contact the Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Department at 8988-4242 locals 8348, 8349, 8359 or 8360. Or email inquire.greenawards@quezoncity.gov.ph. The post QC officially opens Green Awards, calls for entries appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senate tackles airlines’ booking glitches, offloading mess
Growing complaints from various passengers against budget carrier, Cebu Pacific’s overbooking, offloading, and booking glitches have reached the Senate inquiry on Wednesday. This came after Senate committee chairperson, Senator Nancy Binay, filed Senate Resolution No. 575 pushing for an investigation on the customers’ complaints against Cebu Pacific due to recent flight cancellations. During the hearing, Binay said her office was able to compile at least 3,000 complaints from the passengers, which have been aired through social media platforms. “We have since seen it fit to invite our other airlines to this hearing because these problems, it seemed, have only grown in number. Our passengers face inconveniences on multiple fronts on account of flight delays, cancelations, offloading, and overbooking,” Binay stressed. Overseas worker, James Bartolome, said he has yet to receive his refund from Cebu Pacific after his flight going to Qatar was canceled. After knowing that his original flight was canceled, Bartolome opted to book another airline as the budget carrier won’t be able to give him an earlier flight. Senator JV Ejercito said the airport and airline operations will provide the “first and last impressions” to the tourists and potential investors entering the country. “We need to systematize this for our tourism and business climate,” he said, sharing that he was not even spared from experiencing flight delays. Binay emphasized the need to identify problems and immediately craft strategies to prevent similar complaints in the future. Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said that Cebu Pacific and other similar airline companies should acknowledge the impacts of flight cancellations and other airline mess. “Incidents like these could discourage tourists so this hearing should serve as a platform to air the grievances of the frustrated and helpless passengers,” Go said, citing that these may affect the country’s tourism industry and the economy. “Remember that we are still reviving from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he added. Go said the airlines must immediately act and rectify these issues by imposing proper mechanisms for compensating affected passengers—which includes food provisions during flight cancellation and alternative flight schedules. During the hearing, several Cebu Pacific passengers also complained about apparent website errors that resulted in them being charged multiple times for transactions yet it appeared to be unsuccessful. Cebu Pacific chief marketing and customer experience officer, Candice Iyog, explained that there is a part of the flow where if a passenger clicks proceed, it commits the changes even before the passenger pays. “We recognize that and we are taking that feedback as well,” Iyog said. The Cebu Pacific, she added, is already working on “a fix or an enhancement” to the interface of the website, which will likely be ready at the end of this month. “Depending on when it's ready, we're looking at possibly, end of July that we will be able to implement this change in the user experience,” she said. Senator Risa Hontiveros lamented that in several instances when passengers’ original flights were canceled, Cebu Pacific offered flight rebooking and passengers were immediately made to pay before they could confirm their purchase of travel tickets. Citing a passenger’s experience, the airline’s website technical issue made them pay a bill of P16,000-worth of add-ons after availing of Cebu Pacific’s free rebooking option, following the cancellation of flights. Iyog said they recently reminded their customer service agents to allow passengers to get back to their original flight or to remove add-ons that were “accidentally added.” “We don’t want to cancel flights for our passengers. It’s bad business and we don’t want to disrupt our passengers—that’s why we give options,” Iyog noted. Tougher passengers’ rights Meanwhile, Senator Grace Poe slammed the budget carrier for lacking customer service agents directly responding to these complaints. Poe called on for a tougher policy on air passengers' rights to address the cancellations and delays in flights by local airlines besetting travelers. "This pressing public service issue calls for urgent effective solutions as it involves not only the air passengers' rights but also the overall impact on the country's tourism and economy,” she added. While overbooking is a globally accepted practice, Poe said "systematic delays and cancellations are not." Also, Hontiveros pressed that the government agencies should step in to prevent more passengers from being disrupted in their travels due to canceled, rescheduled, and delayed flights in Cebu Pacific and other airline companies. “These kinds of inconveniences disrupt the travel experiences also of tourists, and as the chair said, could negatively affect the tourism sector,” she added. Aside from the reported overbooking, offloading, booking, and flight cancellations, Senator Raffy Tulfo said that adding extra flights daily amid lacking proper airplane maintenance can be called “abuses of the airline companies.” He lamented that it could pose danger and compromise the safety of all airline passengers, “There were safety issues surrounding the uploading, overbooking, and flight cancellations of airlines. If these airlines don’t care about fulfilling their obligations to provide air transport for their passengers, I will not be surprised that they are cutting corners when it comes to safety as well,” Tulfo pressed on. Tulfo said extra flights can also cause fatigue in pilots and flight attendants. For his part, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa wants the Civil Aeronautics Board to become proactive in resolving the massive airline mess in the country. Dela Rosa asked CAB if it is amenable to institutionalize the Air Passenger Bill of Rights in order to protect the public from erring airline companies. "What is your position? Do you agree with the proposal to create a law that will institutionalize the Air Passenger Bill of Rights?" asked Dela Rosa. In response, CAB Executive Director Carmelo Arcilla, said they have been very supportive of the proposal. “But it seems it is not among the priorities of Congress,” he said. Dela Rosa said he is mulling to proposed the bill in the Senate “not to discourage the airline industry but to protect the public interest. The post Senate tackles airlines’ booking glitches, offloading mess appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Plastic pollution can be reduced by 80 percent by 2040
A new report from the United Nations Environment Program is giving a respite from what doomsayers claim is a lost cause. If only governments and companies make deep policy and market shifts using existing technologies, the world could “successfully” cut plastic pollution by a full 80 percent by 2040. “The way we produce, use and dispose of plastics is polluting ecosystems, creating risks for human health, and destabilizing the climate,” said UNEP executive director Inger Andersen. “Turning off the Tap: How the world can end plastic pollution and create a circular economy” is a solution-focused analysis of concrete practices, market shifts and policies that can inform governments thinking and business action. The UNEP report lays out a roadmap to dramatically reduce the risks brought about by plastic pollution “through adopting a circular approach that keeps plastics out of ecosystems, out of our bodies and in the economy,” Andersen said. These can be achieved only “if we follow this roadmap, including in negotiations on the plastic pollution deal,” which can deliver “major economic, social and environmental wins,” the UNEP head added. To reduce plastic pollution by 80 percent globally by 2040, the report suggests first eliminating problematic and unnecessary plastics to reduce the size of the problem. Subsequently, it calls for three market shifts — reuse, recycle, and reorient and diversify products. Promoting reuse options, including refillable bottles, bulk dispensers, deposit-return -schemes and packaging takeback schemes, among others, can reduce 30 percent of plastic pollution by 2040. “To realize its potential, governments must help build a stronger business case for reusables,” UNEP said. The UN agency also believes plastic pollution can be further reduced by an additional 20 percent if only recycling becomes a more stable and profitable venture. “Removing fossil fuels subsidies, enforcing design guidelines to enhance recyclability and other measures would increase the share of economically recyclable plastics from 21 percent to 50 percent,” it said. On reorienting and diversifying, UNEP stated: “Careful replacement of products such as plastic wrappers, sachets and takeaway items with products made from alternative materials (such as paper or compostable materials) can deliver an additional 17 percent decrease in plastic pollution.” Just like climate change and the water crisis, the problem of plastic pollution is gargantuan. According to one research group, the Philippines discards 60 billion plastic sachets each year. That’s about one sachet per person per day on a per capita basis. “The problem with plastics has been escalating for decades, and the Philippines has been identified as the world’s third largest contributor of plastics in the ocean,” the World Wide Fund said. “Plastic pollution has always been a huge issue in the Philippines with the continuous generation of plastic wastes and poor waste management.” An earlier UNEP report said plastic accounts for 85 percent of all marine litter. By 2040, if nothing is done, it will nearly triple, adding 23-37 million metric tons of waste into the ocean per year. UN reports warn that by 2050, there will be more plastic in the oceans than there are fish. The post Plastic pollution can be reduced by 80 percent by 2040 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Toyota Philippines calls for inclusive tax incentives on electric vehicles
Toyota Philippines is prodding the government to provide an inclusive tax incentives to electric vehicles (EVs) to promote the electrification of the automotive industry and help mitigate the impact of climate change......»»
Bikers for clean energy say no to proposed BNPP revival
“This bike ride is in response to the many issues confronting the planned revival of the BNPP, the calls for clean energy, and how the government should respond to the impacts of climate change." The post Bikers for clean energy say no to proposed BNPP revival appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
Climate pledges still ‘nowhere near’ enough for 1.5C: UN
PARIS, France — International climate pledges remain far off track to limit temperature rises to 1.5 degrees Celsius, according to a UN report released Wednesday, less than two weeks ahead of high-stakes negotiations to tackle global warming. The combined climate pledges of more than 190 nations that signed up to the 2015 Paris climate deal put Earth on track to warm around 2.5C (36 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to pre-industrial levels by the century’s end, the UN said. With the planet already battered by climate-enhanced heatwaves, storms and floods after just 1.2C of warming, experts say the world is still failing to act with sufficient urgency to curb greenhouse gas emissions. “We are still nowhere near the scale and pace of emission reductions required to put us on track toward a 1.5 degrees Celsius world,” said Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change. “To keep this goal alive, national governments need to strengthen their climate action plans now and implement them in the next eight years.” The UN’s climate experts have said emissions — compared to 2010 levels — need to fall 45 percent by 2030 in order to meet the Paris deal’s more ambitious goal. In this latest report, the UN said that current commitments from governments around the world will in fact increase emissions by 10.6 percent by 2030. When nations met in Glasgow last year for a previous round of climate negotiations, they agreed to speed up their climate pledges to cut carbon pollution and increase financial flows to vulnerable developing nations. An aerial view shows a destroyed in a flooded area following heavy rainfalls near Kastamonu, on August 11, 2021. From flash floods to forest fires, drought to “sea snot”, Turkey is bearing the brunt of increasingly frequent disasters blamed on climate change. Demiroren News Agency (DHA) / AFP ‘Disappointing’ But only 24 countries, of 193, had updated their plans at the time of the report, which Stiell said was “disappointing”. “Government decisions and actions must reflect the level of urgency, the gravity of the threats we are facing, and the shortness of the time we have remaining to avoid the devastating consequences of runaway climate change,” he said. He called on governments to revisit and strengthen their carbon cutting plans in line with the Paris temperature goals before the UN climate meeting, which will be held from November 6 to 18 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Nations are meeting in the shadow of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and cascading global crises of hunger, energy prices and living costs, exacerbated by extreme weather. Scientists have warned that any rise above 1.5C risks the collapse of ecosystems and the triggering of irreversible shifts in the climate system. In the last year alone, the world has seen unprecedented floods, crop-withering heatwaves and wildfires across four continents. With the impacts slamming hardest into countries least responsible for fossil fuel emissions, calls have grown louder for richer polluters to pay “loss and damage” to vulnerable nations. In a landmark report this year on climate impacts and vulnerabilities, the UN’s 195-nation Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned that time had nearly run out to ensure a “liveable future” for all. That report was signed off by the same governments that will return to negotiations in Egypt......»»
Salceda: More groups push for DDR bill passage
More institutions and groups have joined the mounting calls for the Senate to hasten the enactment of the pending Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR) Act, deemed as the country’s coherent blueprint for survival against natural calamities brought about by climate change and even pandemics......»»
Climate body calls for action on finalization of Philippines climate plans
The Climate Change Commission made the call Thursday following President Rodrigo Duterte’s statement at the United Nations General Assembly urging countries to honor their climate commitments and fight the climate crisis with the same urgency as COVID-19......»»
‘Practice Energy efficiency’
In a message in observance of Earth Hour yesterday, President Marcos called on Filipinos to practice energy efficiency as the Philippines grapples with the challenges posed by climate change and El Niño......»»