President Arroyo on Friday convened the Climate Change Commission in preparation for the Copenhagen climate change conference that she will attend at the Danish capital from December 15 to 18.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde announced the first organizational meeting of the commission, an independent and autonomous policymaking body which would coordinate, monitor and evaluate programs and action plans to address climate change.

“The President is convening the Climate Change Commission. It is a very important step for the Copenhagen global summit on climate change,” he said in a press briefing.

The commission, which is headed by the President, met at the Palace’s Aguinaldo State Dining Room last Friday.

On October 23, the President signed the Climate Change Act of 2009 or Republic Act No. 9729 to boost the country’s capability to deal with threats posed by climate change.

The landmark legislation, which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2583 and House Bill No. 5982, seeks to institutionalize government response to climate change as well as to attract financial and technical assistance from the foreign community to fund adaptation and disaster risk reduction initiatives.

Mrs. Arroyo has yet to appoint three commissioners, who will have a term of office of six years. The commissioners must have at least 10 years of experience dealing with climate change issues. One of them will serve as the vice chairperson of the anti-climate change body.

A total of 16 government agencies, local government units and representatives from the academe, business sector, and non-government organizations (NGOs) will compose the body’s advisory board to ensure accountability.

The sectoral representatives who will also be appointed by the President will serve for a term of six years without reappointment unless their representation is withdrawn by the sector they represent.

Presidential Adviser on Global Warming and Climate Change Heherson Alvarez said that during the Copenhagen conference slated next week, the Philippines would call on developed countries, the largest emitters of carbon emissions, to provide funding to developing countries for their climate change initiatives.

During his visit last September 8, Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has asked for the Philippine government’s support to come up with a “forward looking” climate change pact in Copenhagen.

De Boer was assured by President Arroyo of the government’s support to the ongoing UN negotiations for a new global treaty which is expected to be signed by more than 180 countries in Denmark.

The UN official noted the important role played by developing countries in pressing developed countries to cut their emissions as he admitted that it is difficult to mobilize funding for climate change initiatives due to the global crisis.

The Philippines earlier asked industrialized countries to cut their carbon emissions by more than 30 to 40 percent from 2013 to 2017 and by more than 50 percent from 2018 to 2022, using the 1990 levels as basis.