Batangas City hailed as PH winner of WWF One Planet City Challenge
Published Jun 14, 2020 12:00 am
By Kate Marajas
BATANGAS – Batangas City has been hailed as the Philippine winner of the World Wide Fund for Nature’s (WWF) One Planet City Challenge (OPCC) this year.
According to WWF Philippines, Batangas City’s comprehensive climate mitigation and adaptation plan, which includes interventions based on city-specific climate vulnerabilities, impressed the urban sustainability experts from across the globe that compose the OPCC jury.
(WWF PHILIPPINES / MANILA BULLETIN)
It was also stated that this city has an ambitious target for carbon neutrality by 2030 and its vision to be the first carbon-neutral city in the Philippines.
In a letter from the OPCC Team in Stockholm, the jury acknowledged the city’s aggressive efforts in promoting climate risk assessment.
“Batangas City showed particularly strong performance related to its vision. The city scored well across different indicators especially political action and climate risk assessment and evidence of action, especially related to adaptation.”
Aside from Batangas City, fellow finalists Muntinlupa and Santa Rosa, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Dipolog, La Carlota, Pasig, San Carlos, Tagum, Malolos, Parañaque, and Quezon City, were also included in the country’s roster of qualifiers for OPCC 2019-2020.
Meanwhile, the WWF-Philippines Executive Director Joel Palma acknowledged Batangas City, as well as the other local qualifiers, for their efforts in representing the Philippines.
“I would like to commend the Batangas City LGU and all the other LGUs who have taken part in the OPCC. I would like to commend their efforts in finding solutions to ensure that development is made sustainable by putting into the equation the environment and people,” Palma said.
“The challenges we are facing now, particularly the pandemic, proves that there is a direct link between the health of the environment and the health and well-being of people,” he added.
Launched in 2011, the OPCC is a global competition where cities are encouraged to share climate mitigation and develop adaptation plans centered in their critical role of building a sustainable and climate-safe future.
(WWF PHILIPPINES / MANILA BULLETIN)
It was also stated that this city has an ambitious target for carbon neutrality by 2030 and its vision to be the first carbon-neutral city in the Philippines.
In a letter from the OPCC Team in Stockholm, the jury acknowledged the city’s aggressive efforts in promoting climate risk assessment.
“Batangas City showed particularly strong performance related to its vision. The city scored well across different indicators especially political action and climate risk assessment and evidence of action, especially related to adaptation.”
Aside from Batangas City, fellow finalists Muntinlupa and Santa Rosa, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Dipolog, La Carlota, Pasig, San Carlos, Tagum, Malolos, Parañaque, and Quezon City, were also included in the country’s roster of qualifiers for OPCC 2019-2020.
Meanwhile, the WWF-Philippines Executive Director Joel Palma acknowledged Batangas City, as well as the other local qualifiers, for their efforts in representing the Philippines.
“I would like to commend the Batangas City LGU and all the other LGUs who have taken part in the OPCC. I would like to commend their efforts in finding solutions to ensure that development is made sustainable by putting into the equation the environment and people,” Palma said.
“The challenges we are facing now, particularly the pandemic, proves that there is a direct link between the health of the environment and the health and well-being of people,” he added.
Launched in 2011, the OPCC is a global competition where cities are encouraged to share climate mitigation and develop adaptation plans centered in their critical role of building a sustainable and climate-safe future.