Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte announced over the weekend that the city has been recognized by the global non-profit organization CDP as one of the 119 leading cities in the world that serves as a trailblazer in developing effective climate action, despite global economic challenges.

From over 900 cities assessed by CDP, QC has emerged as one of the A-List cities based on environmental data disclosed to CDP-ICLEI.

Belmonte said QC has a city-wide emissions inventory and has published a climate action plan. The city has also completed a climate risk and vulnerability assessment and has a climate adaptation goal tackling how to address climate hazards.

Belmonte's political commitment and leadership also play a huge part in why QC became an A-List city.

"We are truly honored to be part of the A-List cities of CDP. The city's climate initiatives are all anchored in our Enhanced Local Climate Change Action Plan that is made possible with the help of C40 Cities and other stakeholders to ensure that it is inclusive and responsive to the needs of our citizens," Belmonte said.

"There are many vulnerable people in our city and it is imperative that we bring the people with us as we gear towards a livable, green, sustainable and climate-resilient future," the Mayor added.

Last month, Belmonte was also hailed a Champion of the Earth for Policy Leadership, the first Filipino elected official to receive one of the United Nations' highest environmental honors.

A city-wide Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory was conducted using 2016 data, establishing the baseline for QC's emission reduction goals and initiatives. This serves as the foundation of the City for developing targeted strategies and climate action plans across various sectors.

In 2019, the Quezon City Council passed City Resolution No. SP-7999 which declared a climate emergency and provided vital supporting legislation to allocate resources for climate action. With this, the city was able to allocate up to 13 percent of its annual budget to climate change mitigation and adaptation programs and projects.

The city has also implemented various efforts to control waste and plastic generation, such as the Trash to Cashback program, Vote to Tote, and the enactment of landmark ordinances such as the Plastic Bag Ban (City Ordinance 2868-2019), and prohibition of distribution of single-use plastics and disposable materials for dining-in customers in restaurants and hotels (City Ordinance 2876-2019).

In partnership with Greenpeace and RippleX, the city also initiated the "Kuha sa Tingi" program that establishes refilling stations in sari-sari stores for the necessities of the community that are usually sold in small single-use packaging or sachets such as liquid detergent, dishwashing liquid, fabric softener, and multi-purpose cleaner.

Meanwhile, with the Scholars of Sustenance, the city has established a food surplus recovery program to save unsold or excess food products that can be distributed to the most disadvantaged families.

As part of the city's adaptation strategy, the city is also able to generate over 18,000 good green jobs from more than 750 urban farms, under the Grow QC program, a collective and multi-sectoral food security initiative that addresses food inefficiency that mostly affects vulnerable and disadvantaged families.

The city has likewise adopted a city-wide composting program that turns organic waste into soil conditioners while generating biogas which can be used for cooking.

Various decarbonization efforts are also underway to transition to clean, reliable, and sustainable energy sources such as the solarization of city-owned facilities, schools, and hospitals.

In partnership with Clean Air Asia, the Quezon City Government has developed its own Air Quality Management Plan that serves as a manual basis for all programs and policies that will be initiated to ensure better air quality in the city.

QC is also gearing towards transitioning to energy-efficient transportation for its city buses, including other city-operated vehicles under fleet management. A comprehensive study was also conducted to ensure that the transition will be economically sustainable for all.

Rainwater harvesting systems were also installed in schools that can be used for their toilets, irrigation, and other domestic uses. The city is also drafting a comprehensive Green Building Ordinance to promote sustainability and green practices among private entities.

"We recognize how every sector of our city plays a huge role in confronting the climate crisis, from our residents up to the private entities. The city cannot attain this accolade without their utmost help and support to our initiatives," Belmonte explained.