The Climate Change Commission (CCC) emphasized the importance of protecting biodiversity and urged for a collective and inclusive action to address issues detrimental to the health of ecosystems and all life forms in the country.
“Biodiversity is crucial for ecosystem balance and our well-being, and it’s increasingly threatened by climate change. We must work together to protect natural habitats, adopt sustainable practices, and support strong environmental policies. By acting now and by being part of the plan, we can ensure a resilient world for future generations,” said CCC vice chairperson and executive director Robert E.A. Borje.
The CCC explained the vital functions that ecosystems in the country perform. Biodiversity-rich ecosystems act as natural carbon sinks, absorbing large amounts of heat and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and oceans, thereby helping to regulate temperature and climate.
The Philippines is one of the 18 mega-biodiverse countries in the world. Its ecosystems, ranging from wetlands, tree forests, mangrove forests, and coral reefs, house between 70 and 80 percent of the world’s plant and animal species, making the country a hotspot for biodiversity conservation.
Currently, drivers of habitat and biodiversity loss in the country include illegal logging and fishing, mining, pollution, sea and land-use conversion, animal trafficking and poaching, and climate change.
In the Philippines’ draft National Adaptation Plan, ecosystems and biodiversity are identified as one of the eight key sector outcomes, making Philippine biodiversity and ecosystems a priority area for adaptation efforts.
The 2023 to 2028 Philippine Development Plan also emphasizes strategies to improve and protect the country’s biodiversity, primarily through intensified monitoring, protection, management and rehabilitation.
The CCC remains steadfast in its commitment to protect and preserve Philippine biodiversity. Recognizing the ecological services that biodiversity-rich ecosystems provide, the CCC actively seeks further ways to establish mechanisms that effectively aid the protection, conservation, and preservation of our biodiversity and ecosystems.
The International Day for Biological Diversity is celebrated annually on 22 May to emphasize the importance of public education and awareness about biological diversity. The UN designated this date during the General Assembly and Convention on Biological Diversity on 8 February 2001. This year, the theme “Be part of the Plan,” encompasses the need for a whole-of-society approach in protecting biodiversity.