To increase carbon sinks and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, more trees should be planted, Vice President and Department of Education Secretary Sara Duterte said.

In her message at the 15th Global Warming and Climate Change Consciousness Week (CCC Week 2022) on Nov. 25, Duterte expressed her support for the Climate Change Commission’s (CCC) tree planting and growing activity.

“The Philippines is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. We are already experiencing an increased frequency of extreme weather events, sea level and temperature rise, and changes in rainfall patterns that threaten our biodiversity, food security, and public safety,” she said.

To mitigate the impacts of climate change, Duterte underscored the need to increase the country’s carbon sequestration capacity through nature-based solutions, particularly through tree planting and growing activities.

The CCC collaborated with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), and the Society of Filipino Foresters Inc. (SFFI) for the Carbon Neutral Program (CNP) Convergence.

The agencies and other partner organizations under the CNP Convergence have initiated and taken part in various tree-planting and growing programs, the most recent of which was the CCC Week kick-off activity on Nov. 19. The CCC and various stakeholders planted 200 Narra, Dao, and Sablot seedlings at the La Mesa Nature Reserve.

“Let us support President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s call to plant more trees to help reduce the impacts of climate change, increase our country’s climate resilience, and enable our country’s sustainable development,” Duterte said.

Watch the full message of the Vice President through this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IFBrA_ps7w

Duterte was among the leaders and legislators that expressed support for the 15th Global Warming and Climate Change Consciousness Week (CCC Week 2022).

With the theme “Sama-samang Tumutugon sa Hamon ng Nagbabagong Klima,” CCC Week 2022 draws together various climate change and environment stakeholders in the Philippines in a collective push to transform climate change commitments into action toward a climate-smart and climate-resilient Philippines by 2050.

Pursuant to Presidential Proclamation 1667 s. 2008, the CCC spearheads the annual observance every Nov. 19 to 25, aimed at raising consciousness on addressing the impacts of the changing climate.

For more information about CCC Week 2022 activities, visit the CCC social media pages at @cccphl or its website at https://climate.gov.ph. (PNA)