Makati City Mayor Abby Binay received a standing ovation from the members and audience of the COP28 Local Climate Action Summit held in Dubai, UAE, as she underscored the importance of women in spearheading the world's climate change initiatives and sustainability programs.

(Photos from Makati LGU)

"Isa sa mga naging highlight ng COP28 para sa akin ang makatanggap ng standing ovation sa pagbubukas ng Local Climate Action Summit kung saan kabilang ako sa all-female panel na  nagbukas ng event. Pinuri ko ang all-female panel at sinabing: “We are opening this summit with an all-female panel. This is not just saying that cities are the future, women are the future as well (One of the highlights during my attendance to the COP28 was the standing ovation they gave me during the opening of the Local Climate Action Summit where I was included in the all-female panel that opened the event. I gave due recognition to the all-female panel by saying: "We are opening this summit with an all-female panel. This is not just saying that cities are the future, women are the future as well.") Binay, who is the sole Filipino and Southeast Asian mayor to become a member of COP28's Advisory Committee, said.

"Mabigat ang mga katagang ito dahil kitang-kita na ang partisipasyon ng mga babaeng lider sa usapin ng climate action. Galak na galak ako at sobrang proud na ang mga nakakasama ko ngayon sa mga forum at summit ay mga kapwa kong babae at sila ay agresibong nagsusulong ng climate initiatives sa kanilang mga lungsod (These are heavy words because we all see the participation of women leaders in the topic of climate action. I am very happy and proud that my co-participants in these forum and summit are women who are aggressive in promoting climate initiatives in their cities)," she added.

During the first day of COP28, the UAE, USA, Japan and the European Union (EU) spearheaded by Germany, have announced their initial commitments in the creation of the "Loss and Damage Fund” which can lead to the launching of different initiatives towards climate action and sustainability.

"Ang pondong ito ay mahalaga para sa subnational governments dahil hindi na kakailanganin ang mara­ming paperwork at matagal na approval process. Mas mabilis na silang makakakuha ng pondo. Kabilang dito ang small grants funding para sa mga komunidad at access sa iba pang resources tulad ng Green Climate Fund (GCF), Global Environment Facility (GEF) at ang Adaptation Fund (This fund is important for subnational governments because they will no longer have to undergo numerous paperwork and long approval processes. They can easily receive funds which include small grant funding for communities and access to other resources such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Global Environment Facility (GEF), and the Adaptation Fund)," the mayor explained.

"Ang Loss and Damage Fund ay magbubukas nang maraming pinto para sa climate funding at magbibigay ng oportunidad para sa mga developing communities na makapagtatag na ng kanilang mga programa laban sa climate change. Isa ito sa matagal ko nang pinapangarap para sa mas maliliit na lungsod sa mundo (The Loss and Damage Fund will open many doors for climate funding and give opportunities for developing communities to establish their own programs against climate change. This is one of my dreams for much smaller cities in the world)," she noted.

Binay also attended the Ministerial Meeting on ­Urbanization and Climate Change, GCoM Board Meeting, Urban Climate Resilience forum, and Urban Financing Opportunity meeting where she also discussed multi-level climate action.

Climate funding

Binay had earlier expressed her gratitude for being given the chance to be the voice of small cities in raising the challenges posed by financing to their climate change initiatives.

"Nakaka-proud na mapabilang ako sa all-female leaders mula sa iba’t ibang cities sa mundo sa panel discussion na tumalakay sa mga kinakailangang reporma sa mandato at operating models ng Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) (I'm very proud to be a part of the all-female leaders group from all over the world in the panel discussion tackling the needed reforms in the mandate and operating models of Multilateral Development Banks)," Binay said.

“Ang aking pangunahing rekomendasyon ay maging ‘banks for cities’ ang MDBs. Panahon na para bigyan ng MDBs ng kaukulang pansin ang mga pangangailangan ng mga lokal na pamahalaan, at hindi lamang nakatutok sa national governments. Mas makakausad ang local climate action kung ang MDBs tulad ng World Bank ay maglalaan ng climate investment programs na tutugon sa needs ng mga syudad at bayan, tulad ng kakulangan sa pondo at technical expertise (My primary recommendation is for MDBs to become the "bank for the cities". It's time for MDBs to give proper attention to the needs of local governments and not just to national governments. Local climate action can gain more ground if MDBs such as the World Bank can allocate climate investment programs that will respond to issues of cities and towns such as the lack of funds and technical expertise)," she added.

The mayor noted that there are small-scale projects that do not necessarily need billions-worth of funding that can be funded by MDBs.