Climate resilient development needed as losses and damage will continue to increase into the future putting the most vulnerable people and ecosystems at risk, a report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report said released on March 20, 2023.

The Synthesis Report, which was approved during a week-long session, is the final installment of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report. It integrates and summarizes the findings of the six reports published during the current cycle, which began in 2015.

The Philippine Delegation to the plenary session was led by Undersecretary Analiza Rebuelta-Teh from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and supported by Commissioner Rachel Anne S. Herrera from the Climate Change Commission and Dr. Faye Abigail T. Cruz, Head of the Regional Climate Systems Laboratory of the Manila Observatory and IPCC Contributing Author for the Working Group I of the Sixth Assessment Report.

“Every fraction of degree counts and we are in no position to waste time. The Synthesis Report will be crucial in shaping evidence-informed decisions and actions, particularly for developing and vulnerable countries,” DENR Undersecretary Rebuelta-Teh said, reading the statement from DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga, who represents President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to the Climate Change Commission. 

The report highlighted the need to accelerate action to adapt to climate change in closing the gap between the existing adaptation, and what is further needed in the future. To limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, the report stated that deep, rapid, and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions will be required across all sectors.

“We reiterate the call for flexible and accessible means of implementation for adaptation, through climate finance, technologies, and country-driven technical assistance that reflects the need for local, context-specific and demand driven adaptation to address each country’s specific risk profile,” Undersecretary Rebuelta-Teh added.

During the week-long approval sessions, the Delegation, in its intervention, strongly supported the inclusion of emissions avoidance in the report as a recognition of risk-based and outcomes-based approaches to curb greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with the use of best available non-GHG emitting technologies. The Philippines also supported the inclusion of green and blue infrastructures which help in reducing risks from extreme weather events.

“We need fast and effective translation of the Synthesis Report to transformative climate actions in the country. With the ultimatum provided by the report, the DENR will continue to conscientiously work with various government agencies and stakeholders in building the resilience of our most vulnerable communities and ecosystems using science-based and data-driven ENR [environment and natural resources] policy and program interventions,” Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga of the DENR and the Chairperson-Designate of the Climate Change Commission said. 

The IPCC plenary was attended by more than six hundred delegates from March 13-17, 2023 in Interlaken, Switzerland. ###