NEWS

06.07.2014

Project Climate Twin Phoenix Reports Launched

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The Climate Change Commission, together with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Australian Government, jointly hosted the launch event of Project Climate Twin Phoenix Reports.

People living in areas devastated by typhoons Sendong and Pablo can now have peace of mind.

 

Appropriate measures are now in place to keep people safe from the effects of extreme weather events such as floods.

 

This is contained in a report by the Climate Change Commission under the Project Climate Twin Phoenix.

 

In a simple ceremony, the Commission, together with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Australian Government, jointly hosted the launch event of Project Climate Twin Phoenix Reports.

 

The launch was held yesterday at the Oakwood Premier Joy-Nostalg Center, Pasig City, in time for the celebration of the disaster management consciousness month this July.

 

The reports included the Supplemental Guidelines in Mainstreaming Climate and Disaster Risks in the Comprehensive Land Use                      Plans, the River basin and Flood Modeling Report with an exhibit of Climate-Adjusted Flood Hazard Maps for the major rivers of Cagayan De Oro, Mandulog, Iponan and Iligan, and the Climate and Disaster Exposure Database (ClimEx.db).

 

Commission Vice Chairperson Lucille Sering said the supplemental guidelines are intended to provide guidance in updating existing policies on land use planning or in formulating one by factoring in the impacts of disasters and climate change.  

 

“This is also in line with NDRRMC-OCD’s policy directions, which calls for complementation of efforts, specifically in promoting the idea of integrating DRR and CCA into local development plans”, Sering said.

 

The Climate-adjusted flood hazard maps, Sering said, have been generated using the award-winning technology of Disaster Risk Assessment, Exposure and Mitigation (DREAM)-LiDAR 3-D Mapping Project. DREAM has been conferred the 2014 Geospatial World Excellence in Policy Implementation Award in Geneva, Switzerland. 

 

On the other hand, Sering said ClimEx.db provides geo-coded data on population, buildings, infrastructure and economic activities in the city, which are considered high-risk to flooding or which are predisposed to the impacts of climate change.

 

“It also includes an inventory of geohazard-compliant evacuation sites and spaces that can be used as evacuation areas, an inventory of existing resources for early recovery and rehabilitation, and a resource of existing policies and ordinances pertaining to disaster planning, response, rehabilitation and recovery, among others”, she said.

 

Sering also reported that the survey in Iligan using ClimEx.db has been completed while the survey in Cagayan de Oro is still on-going.

 

“In our commitment to achieve the National Climate Change Action Plan, we continue to pursue partnerships across sectors to support our government’s efforts in protecting vulnerable communities from the adverse effects of climate change and building their capacities to manage their risks”, she added.

 

The Commission also launched the Resilience and Preparedness for Inclusive Development (RAPID) Program, which is an expansion of Project Climate Twin Phoenix in Yolanda-affected areas. The RAPID program, which was approved in May 2014, received support from the Australian Government in the amount of AU$7.3M.

 

Since December 2012, Project Climate Twin Phoenix has been implementing its activities in areas devastated by Tropical Storm Washi, specifically in the cities of Cagayan De Oro (CDO) and Iligan. Its work is focused on improving these communities’ adaptive capacity as well as in mainstreaming climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction and management into local development and land use plans.

 

Also present during the launch were UN Resident Coordinator in the Philippines Luiza Carvalho, the Australian Ambassador H.E. Bill Tweddell, and Australia Government-Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Deputy Secretary Ewen McDonald.