ADB: Lack of localized data hinders investments vs climate change

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is urging the Philippine government to deploy more detailed mapping tools for climate change-related problems in local communities to speed up inclusive socioeconomic growth through public and private investments.

Countries in the region posted an overall regression on climate action between 2015 and 2023 while overall incidences of hunger, decent work for citizens, industry innovations, and responsible consumption of goods and production improved, said the ADB.

These are based on the 55th edition of Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific 2024 on Climate Action that the ADB released this week.

The ADB report showed that the Philippines has already posted nearly 408 parts per million (ppm) of carbon emissions above the global average of 406 ppm from the years 2014 to 2021.

Using existing but limited tools on satellite imaging, data gathered by the ADB showed that 75 percent of Mindanao residents belonging to the poorest in the country last year experienced medium-to-high risk of water stress.

A total of 16.1 million Filipinos were considered poor during the period, according to the ADB.

Resource allocation

“In general, by identifying localities where high water risk coincides with significant poverty, policymakers can ensure that resources are allocated where they are needed most,” the bank said.

“Granular or localized data can point to good practices among locally initiated mitigation measures, which in turn attract greater interest and support from stakeholders, including investors, for the expansion of such measures,” added the multinational lender.

Likewise, the ADB said that while 80 percent of local government units (LGU) already adopted certain strategies on disaster risk reduction (DRR) “there were disparities in implementation rates for different localities.”

For example, 2022 data showed that 100 percent of LGUs in MIMAROPA (Southern Tagalog Region comprising Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) implemented DRR strategies compared to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s 50 percent.