Unit I: Understanding Elements and Characteristics of Trends

A trend is a behavior or new way of doing things and it has a big impact on our
society. It is a sequential pattern of change in a condition, output, or process,
or an average or general tendency of a series of data points to move in a certain
direction over time, represented by a line or curve on a graph.

The process of identifying a trend

Trend analysis is the widespread practice of collecting information and attempting
to spot a pattern, or trend, in the information.
Trend spotting is the identification of new trends or attempting to see the future.
Trend spotter is a person who notices and reports on new fashions, ideas, or
activities that are becoming popular.
Difference between Fad and Trends
Trends have a much longer lifespan than fads. In fact, they can continue to be
fashionable for years and even decades. The primary difference between a trend and
a fad is that trends have the potential to be long-term influences on the market.

Unit II: Understanding Local Networks

This introduces us to the idea and importance of a network for us human beings. A
gathering of individuals we interface consistently family, companions, neighbors,
instructors and managers. Network is a group of people whom we interact daily.
Networks are analyzed in terms of:
1. Density
2. Hierarchy
3. Complexity
4. Interdependence
5. Embeddedness

Strategic Analysis
Strategic Thinking: 11 Critical Skills Needed
Strategic thinking is a process that defines the manner in which people think
about, assess, view, and create the future for themselves and others. Strategic
thinking is an extremely effective and valuable tool. One can apply strategic
thinking to arrive at decisions that can be related to your work or personal life.
Strategic thinking involves developing an entire set of critical skills. What are
those critical skills? I offer the following list of critical skills that the best
strategic thinkers possess and use every day.

Critical Skill #1: Strategic thinkers have the ability to use the left (logical)
and right (creative) sides of their brain. This skill takes practice as well as
confidence and can be tremendously valuable.

Critical Skill #2: They have the ability to develop a clearly defined and focused
business vision and personal vision. They are skilled at both thinking with a
strategic purpose as well as creating a visioning process. They have both skills
and they use them to complement each other.

Critical Skill #3: They have the ability to clearly define their objectives and
develop a strategic action plan with each objective broken down into tasks and each
task having a list of needed resources and a specific timeline.

Critical Skill #4: They have the ability to design flexibility into their plans by
creating some benchmarks in their thinking to review progress. Then they use those
benchmarks to as a guide and to recognize the opportunity to revise their plans as
needed. They have an innate ability to be proactive and anticipate change, rather
than being reactive to changes after they occur.

Critical Skill #5: They are amazingly aware and perceptive. They will recognize
internal and external clues, often subtle, to help guide future direction and
realize opportunities for them and their companies or organizations. Great
strategic thinkers will listen, hear and understand what is said and will read and
observe whatever they can so that they will have very helpful and strategic
information to guide them. Strategic thinkers often have those “Ah Ha” experiences
while on vacation, walking, sitting and relaxing or during many other activities
because they see or hear something that resonates and because they are so aware and
perceptive.

Critical Skill #6: They are committed lifelong learners and learn from each of
their experiences. They use their experiences to enable them to think better on
strategic issues.

Critical Skill #7: The best and greatest strategic thinkers take time out for
themselves. Their time out may be in the form of a retreat (some prefer to call it
an “advance” since it “advances” their thinking”); a walk in a special environment;
relaxing in a comfortable chair in the lobby of an historic hotel; or an afternoon
in a quiet place with a blank sheet of paper or their lap top computer with “their
thinking caps” on.

Critical Skill #8: They are committed to and seek advice from others. They may use
a coach, a mentor, a peer advisory group or some other group that they can confide
in and offer up ideas for feedback.

Critical Skill #9: They have the ability to balance their tremendous amount of
creativity with a sense of realism and honesty about what is achievable in the
longer term. This ability to balance does not deter them in their thinking.
Sometimes they refer to themselves as realistic optimists.

Critical Skill #10: They have the ability to be non-judgmental and they do not
allow themselves to be held back or restricted by judging their own thinking or the
thinking of others when ideas are initially being developed and shared. This is
especially true during any “brainstorming” exercises to ensure a flow of great
ideas. There will be time to test the ideas AFTER the “brainstorming” is concluded.

Critical Skill #11: They have the ability to be patient and to not rush to
conclusions and judgments. Great ideas and thoughts require time to develop into
great successes in the future to reach your defined vision.

The greatest and most successful organizations in the world, over many years and
decades, would think ahead and encourage great strategic thinking at least
somewhere in their business plans. However, the challenge to that in too many
organizations today is the “self-centered,” “greedy,” and too often “unethical”
focus on the short-term measures of the current year’s bonus and dividend. A
sustainable successful future requires much more, no matter how big or small your
business is, and a major requirement is strategic thinking. Therefore, I strongly
recommend that you develop these eleven (11) critical skills of a strategic thinker
to use in your business and personal life to ensure success.

Intuitive Thinking
Intuitive thinking has different qualities: it's unfocused, nonlinear, “contains no
time”, sees several things without delay, sees the large image, contains
perspective, is heart targeted, destined in area and time, and tends to the
important or concrete. Intuition comes into its own wherever analytical thinking is
inadequate: below time pressure, wherever conditions are dynamic, wherever the
differentiation between observer and discovered is unclear. It works best
wherever the observer has expertise within the explicit scenario, Is tough to
show within the room, eschews seeking the best possibility, in favor of the
‘workable’, and is ready to act on feelings or hunches wherever explanations are
either not needed or there's no time for them. Intuition is expertise translated
by experience to provide fast action.

Unit III: Global Networks: Labor and Migration

What is migration and globalization?
Globalization- is the most powerful force for change in the world today affecting
all societies in the planet.
Migration- movement of people from one terittory to another for the purpose of
taking up either a permanent or temporary residence.
People migrate for various reasons. The reasons may fall under four categories:
1. environmental
2. political
3. cultural
4. economic
Types of Migration
• Internal Migration – this is defined as the process where migrants look for a new
residence within their own country, state, or continent.
• External Migration – moving in a different country, state or continent to a new
residence
• Migration – leaving one country to move to another
• Immigration – moving into a new country
• Forced Migration – this happens when the state or authorities forced its people
to migrate for a reason
Unit IV: Planetary Networks: Climate Change
Change is inevitable. The era of globalization certainly contributed in changing
the landscape of the world and its inhabitants. Amid this growth and advancement
in technology, the environment seems to bear and suffer the consequences. Every
day, we are confronted with issues and problems related to the environment. The
issue on climate change is one concrete manifestation and realization that the age
of globalization and the rapid industrial and technological advancement has taken
its toll on the natural environment.
Climate Change- also called global warming, refers to the rise in average surface
temperatures on Earth.
Greenhouse Effect- the trapping of the sun's warmth in a planet's lower atmosphere
due to the greater transparency of the atmosphere to visible radiation from the sun
than to infrared radiation emitted from the planet's surface.
EFFECT OF CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate Impacts on Agriculture and Food Supply

Agriculture and fisheries are highly dependent on the climate. Increases in

temperature and carbon dioxide (CO2) can increase some crop yields in some places.
But to realize these benefits, nutrient levels, soil moisture, water availability,
and other conditions must also be met. Changes in the frequency and severity of
droughts and floods could pose challenges for farmers and ranchers and threaten
food safety.[3] Meanwhile, warmer water temperatures are likely to cause the
habitat ranges of many fish and shellfish species to shift, which could disrupt
ecosystems. Overall, climate change could make it more difficult to grow crops,
raise animals, and catch fish in the same ways and same places as we have done in
the past. The effects of climate change also need to be considered along with other
evolving factors that affect agricultural production, such as changes in farming
practices and technology.

Climate Impacts on Coastal Areas

Climate change can affect coastal areas in a variety of ways. Coasts are sensitive
to sea level rise, changes in the frequency and intensity of storms, increases in
precipitation, and warmer ocean temperatures. In addition, rising atmospheric
concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) are causing the oceans to absorb more of the
gas and become more acidic. This rising acidity can have significant impacts on
coastal and marine ecosystems.
The impacts of climate change are likely to worsen problems that coastal areas
already face. Confronting existing challenges that affect man-made infrastructure
and coastal ecosystems, such as shoreline erosion, coastal flooding, and water
pollution, is already a concern in many areas. Addressing the additional stress of
climate change may require new approaches to managing land, water, waste, and
ecosystems.

Climate Impacts on Ecosystems

Climate is an important environmental influence on ecosystems. Changing climate
affects ecosystems in a variety of ways. For instance, warming may force species to
migrate to higher latitudes or higher elevations where temperatures are more
conducive to their survival. Similarly, as sea level rises, saltwater intrusion
into a freshwater system may force some key species to relocate or die, thus
removing predators or prey that are critical in the existing food chain.
Climate change not only affects ecosystems and species directly, it also interacts
with other human stressors such as development. Although some stressors cause only
minor impacts when acting alone, their cumulative impact may lead to dramatic
ecological changes. For instance, climate change may exacerbate the stress that
land development places on fragile coastal areas. Additionally, recently logged
forested areas may become vulnerable to erosion if climate change leads to
increases in heavy rain storms.

Climate Impacts on Energy

Changes in temperature, precipitation, sea level, and the frequency and severity of
extreme events will affect how much energy is produced, delivered, and consumed in
the United States.
Energy plays an important role in many aspects of our lives. For example, we use
electricity for lighting and cooling. We use fuel for transportation, heating, and
cooking. Our energy production and use is interconnected with many other aspects of
modern life, such as water consumption, use of goods and services, transportation,
economic growth, land use, and population growth. Our production and use of energy
(most of which comes from fossil fuels) also contributes to climate change,
accounting for more than 84% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

Climate Impacts on Forests

Climate changes directly and indirectly affect the growth and productivity of
forests through changes in temperature, rainfall, weather, and other factors. In
addition, elevated levels of carbon dioxide have an effect on plant growth. These
changes influence complex forest ecosystems in many ways.
In conjunction with the projected impacts of climate change, forests face impacts
from land development, suppression of natural periodic forest fires, and air
pollution. Although it is difficult to separate the effects of these different
factors, the combined impact is already leading to changes in our forests. As these
changes are likely to continue in the decades ahead, some of the valuable goods and
services provided by forests may be compromised.

Climate Impacts on Human Health

The impacts of climate change include warming temperatures, changes in

precipitation, increases in the frequency or intensity of some extreme weather
events, and rising sea levels. These impacts threaten our health by affecting the
food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the weather we experience.
The severity of these health risks will depend on the ability of public health and
safety systems to address or prepare for these changing threats, as well as factors
such as an individual's behavior, age, gender, and economic status. Impacts will
vary based on a where a person lives, how sensitive they are to health threats, how
much they are exposed to climate change impacts, and how well they and their
community are able to adapt to change.

Climate Impacts on Society

As a society, we have structured our day-to-day lives around historical and current
climate conditions. We are accustomed to a normal range of conditions and may be
sensitive to extremes that fall outside of this range.

Climate change could affect our society through impacts on a number of different
social, cultural, and natural resources. For example, climate change could affect
human health, infrastructure, and transportation systems, as well as energy, food,
and water supplies.

Some groups of people will likely face greater challenges than others. Climate
change may especially impact people who live in areas that are vulnerable to
coastal storms, drought, and sea level rise or people who live in poverty, older
adults, and immigrant communities. Similarly, some types of professions and
industries may face considerable challenges from climate change. Professions that
are closely linked to weather and climate, such as outdoor tourism, commerce, and
agriculture, will likely be especially affected.

Climate Impacts on Transportation

Climate change is projected to increase the frequency and intensity of some extreme
weather events. Specifically, heat waves will likely be more severe, sea level rise
could amplify storm surges in coastal areas, and precipitation will likely be more
intense.[2] These changes could increase the risk of delays, disruptions, damage,
and failure across our land-based, air, and marine transportation systems. Most
transportation infrastructure being built now is expected to last for 50 years or
longer. Therefore, it is important to understand how future climate might affect
these investments in the coming decades.
Climate Impacts on Water Resources

Water resources are important to both society and ecosystems. We depend on a

reliable, clean supply of drinking water to sustain our health. We also need water
for agriculture, energy production, navigation, recreation, and manufacturing. Many
of these uses put pressure on water resources, stresses that are likely to be
exacerbated by climate change.
In many areas, climate change is likely to increase water demand while shrinking
water supplies. This shifting balance would challenge water managers to
simultaneously meet the needs of growing communities, sensitive ecosystems,
farmers, ranchers, energy producers, and manufacturers.
In some areas, water shortages will be less of a problem than increases in runoff,
flooding, or sea level rise. These effects can reduce the quality of water and can
damage the infrastructure that we use to transport and deliver water.

International agreements on climate action

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the main
international agreement on climate action. It was one of three conventions adopted
at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. To date, it has been ratified by 195 countries. It
started as a way for countries to work together to limit global temperature
increases and climate change, and to cope with their impacts.

The Council handles two issues related to the UNFCCC:

• ratification of the Doha amendment to the Kyoto Protocol, which concerns
commitments under the second period, running from 2013-2020
• Paris Agreement - new global climate change agreement covering all UNFCCC
countries, its ratification, implementation and enter into force in 2020
In detail

1. Kyoto Protocol

In the mid 1990s, the UNFCCC signatories realised that stronger provisions were
needed to reduce emissions. In 1997, they agreed the Kyoto Protocol, which
introduced legally binding emission reduction targets for developed countries.

The second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol began on 1 January 2013 and will
end in 2020. 38 developed countries, including the EU and its 28 member states, are
participating. This second period is covered by the Doha amendment, under which
participating countries have committed to reducing emissions by at least 18% below
1990 levels. The EU has committed to reducing emissions in this period to 20% below
1990 levels.

The main weakness of the Kyoto Protocol is that it only requires developed
countries to take action. As the United States has never signed up to the Kyoto
Protocol, Canada pulled out before the end of the first commitment period and
Russia, Japan and New Zealand are not taking part in the second commitment period,
it also only now applies to around 14% of the world's emissions. However, more than
70 developing and developed countries have made various non-binding commitments to
reduce or limit their greenhouse gas emissions.

On 13 July 2015, the Council adopted a decision enabling the EU to ratify the Doha
amendment establishing the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.

2. Paris Agreement

The Paris climate conference took place from 30 November to 11 December 2015.

On 12 December, the parties reached a new global agreement on climate change. The
agreement presents a balanced outcome with an action plan to limit global
warming 'well below' 2°C.

The Paris Agreement entered into force 4 November 2016 after the conditions for
ratification by at least 55 countries accounting for at least 55% of global
greenhouse gas emissions were met. All EU Countries ratified the agreement.

The work on implementation tools for the Paris Agreement will continue at the COP23
conference in November in Bonn.

Effects of consumption and production pattern to climate change

Population
If you accept that humans are causing climate change and habitat loss then one of
the biggest issues we face is population growth.

In October 2011 the world population reached 7 billion. The world’s population in
1967, just 44 years previously, was half that: 3.5 billion. Even though the rate of
increase has almost halved since growth rates reached their peak of 2.2% in 1963 it
is still 1.14% (or more than 75,000,000 people) per year.

Many experts predict that the world’s population will crest at some time in the
21st century due to the ongoing decrease in birth rates. Projections are difficult
because of the number of unknown variables such as famine, disease and war. Climate
change catastrophes – such as sea level rises, droughts, flooding and other extreme
weather events will also have an impact. However a ‘peak’ figure of over 9 billion
people has been estimated.

It is arguable that the world can’t sustain 7 million people let alone 9 billion.
But population numbers aren’t the only problem.

Changes in patterns of consumption may have an even greater effect than population
increase. As populous countries such as China and India become more industrialised
they will consume more energy and other resources. If China had the same per capita
carbon emission as New Zealand they would produce over 11 billion tonnes of carbon
dioxide (compared to the 3.5 billion tonnes that they actually produce) which would
increase the total world carbon dioxide emissions from 24.1 billion tonnes to over
31.6 billion tonnes (using 2002 figures published by the UN). And even if China
caught up with New Zealand’s rate of emission they would still be far behind that
of the US, Canada and Australia.

Consumption
Why household consumption matters
The way we consume has both direct and indirect impacts on the environment.

Household consumption forms an important part of the production-consumption chain

as it is consumers who make the final choice as to which goods and services to buy.
Even though the environmental pressures caused by each household are relatively
small compared to those caused by production activities, the 1.5 million households
in New Zealand combined are a major contributor to environmental problems such as
climate change, air and water pollution, land use and waste generation.

For example, the use of energy in our homes and our dependence on cars are causing
air pollution and increased emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) that lead to
climate change. Also, we are creating more and more waste from household
activities. But in addition to those and other direct effects, consumption also
indirectly leads to environmental impacts from the production, processing and
transportation of the goods we consume.

Despite the advances that have been made, for example in introducing more
ecologically efficient production methods and reducing harmful emissions from
vehicles, these have been offset by the rapidly rising consumption of goods and
services.

Understanding consumption patterns

Mapping our patterns of consumption is not straightforward.

In the last ten years we have seen major developments that have changed how and
what we consume. One is economic growth, globalisation and the opening of markets.
As we become wealthier, we consume more. The average New Zealander now has a higher
income and a higher standard of living than in the past, and has access to products
from all over the world.

Another development is that households are getting smaller on average, and partly
because of that we use more energy and water and generate more waste per person.

We have also changed culturally and socially. ‘Individualisation’, the belief in

the individual and the desire for ownership and personal freedom, means that by
consuming, we can express ourselves through the goods and services we choose and
can enjoy the feeling of personal freedom through, for example, our cars and plane
travel.

In fact, our passion for cars is now so strong that many people are prepared to put
up with pollution and congested roads rather than use alternative forms of
transport.

How household consumption affects the environment

The energy, materials and resources we use have direct and indirect impacts on the
environment.

Generally speaking, the indirect environmental effects of consumption are higher

than the direct ones. For example, when we prepare and eat food, the direct
environmental effects of the cooking process are considerably less than the
combined indirect effects of pollution and waste from the agricultural production,
the industrial processing of the food and its transportation.

Many of the resources we need, such as fossil fuels and metals, are extracted in
other parts of the world, and many goods consumed in New Zealand are now being
produced in Asia and Latin America where labour is cheaper.

The emissions from the transport of those goods also takes place mainly outside New
Zealand. The responsibility for these direct negative environmental effects from
production activities in those regions therefore belongs to New Zealand.

In New Zealand itself many direct negative environmental effects of consumption

such as air emissions from personal travel and waste from households are also
increasing rapidly.

The impact of food and drink consumption

Every stage of the food production chain – from growing crops, raising livestock or
catching fish, to transportation and storage, manufacturing, distribution,
purchasing, consumption, and dealing with waste – has environmental effects.

Around a third of all the environmental impacts from households are related to food
and drinks consumption. These include emissions to water, soil and air from
livestock, agriculture and industry, overuse of fish resources and increased
transport of food, but also waste from production processes.

At the other end of the chain, the shift to off-season fresh food, as well as to
bottled water and convenience foods, has resulted in large streams of packaging
waste.

More than two-thirds of packaging waste comes from food consumption.

The demand for new housing is eroding the available land, and we are using more
energy in our homes than we used to. We are buying, and frequently replacing, many
more electric and electronic goods such as computers, DVDs and kitchen appliances.
As a result, even though the goods we buy are more energy-efficient than they used
to be, we are continuing to produce the same amount of emissions of GHGs and rising
amounts of waste. Total energy use has increased because we now have more
appliances.

The picture for water use is more positive. Consumption by households is on average
less than 25% of total water use in Europe and has actually decreased in all
regions of Europe in the past decade. This reduction can be directly linked to the
water pricing and metering measures put in place to ensure the price of water
better reflects its true costs.

How we travel
Higher disposable incomes, longer distances between home, work and school, more
shopping and leisure activities, and deteriorating public transport which is
becoming more and more expensive, are all factors in the shift towards the private
car in recent decades. The number of households with two or more cars is on the
rise.

New Zealand is a car-dominant society and growing energy consumption and emissions
of GHGs from personal travel are increasingly contributing to climate change. The
building of new roads has fragmented natural habitats and affected biodiversity,
and noise from traffic is also a problem.

Technologies such as hybrid cars and fuels cells may help to reduce emissions but
as long as consumption keeps growing, the net benefit may continue to be
overwhelmed by growth in demand.

There are other prices to pay for our excessive car use. Congestion makes urban
areas less and less accessible and leads to significant costs in terms of delivery
delays and lost working hours, not to mention raised stress levels.

Another growing cause for concern is the escalation in plane trips. People are
tending to visit more remote destinations and are taking more short breaks, partly
as a result of the current low air fares. Aviation now almost matches rail
transport in terms of total passenger kilometres travelled, and it is currently
growing much faster than the economy. The environmental concern is mainly based on
the high level of aircraft fuel emissions, which contribute to climate change.

On the plus side of personal travel, the numbers of walkers and cyclists are on the
increase.

What can be done to ‘bend the trend’

The first global political agreement on the need for sustainable consumption was
made at the UN Conference on Environment and Development at Rio de Janeiro in 1992.
In 2002 the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg agreed to
develop a framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production, and
there is commitment to strategies for sustainability.

Given the different types of consumer behaviour and influencing factors in New
Zealand it is a complex challenge to design and implement suitable measures.
Nevertheless public authorities at the global, national, regional and local levels
can influence the sustainability of consumption and production by providing a
framework within which business and consumers can operate. The tools available
include:

• legal and regulatory instruments (such as directives, laws and regulations)

• market-based instruments (such as taxes and charges, tradable permits and subsidy
removal)
• enabling technological improvements
• education and information availability.
In practice, the challenge is to implement the right combination of policy
instruments that take different groups of consumers into account in order to
achieve the most sustainable results.

Business has an instrumental role in enabling and carrying out sustainable

consumption and production. Operating within the framework provided by public
authorities and meeting the demands of consumers, the challenge for business is to
provide goods and services which are profitable and sustainable, when they are
being both produced and consumed.

Consumers have arguably an important role to play since it is we who decide what
goods and services to consume and in what amounts.

Provided that information on the environmental effects of the goods and services is
available within the framework set by public authorities, and that prices are
affordable, consumers can choose to buy goods and services that are sustainable
through their life-cycle from production to consumption.

Other options for consumers include sustainable energy resources, modes of

transport which have the least impact on the environment, reducing our use of water
and generating less waste.

The Climate Change Act of 2009: Philippines’ Response to World’s Changing

Condition[1]
Albert P. Aquino, Christian L. Abeleda and Princess Alma B. Ani [2]

Introduction
Climate change is the most serious and most pervasive threat facing humanity
today[3]. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the highest scientific
body responsible for evaluating the risk of climate change, reported that warming
of the earth’s surface is unequivocal. If left uncontrolled, impacts of climate
change to human and nature are unprecedented and will continuously affect lives of
future generations.

Section 16 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution declared that the State shall
protect and advance the right of the people to a balance and healthful ecology in
accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature. It is in this statement where the
creation of the Republic Act (R.A.) No. 9729 otherwise known as the Climate Change
Act of 2009 was built upon. The law which was enacted on July 27, 2009 was
primarily conceived as the country’s response to the worldwide phenomenon on
climate change. Towards the attainment of this goal, R.A. No. 9729 allowed
mainstreaming of climate change into government formulation of programs and
projects, plans and strategies, and policies, creation of Climate Change
Commission, and establishment of Framework Strategy and Program for climate change.
Mainstreaming of Climate Change into Government Policy Formulation. R.A. 9729 calls
for the State to integrate the concept of climate change in various phases of
policy formulation, development plans, poverty reduction strategies, and other
government development tools and techniques. This is to ensure that government
plans and actions are founded upon sound environmental considerations and
sustainable development principles. Aside from that, the government shall take into
consideration gender-sensitive, pro-children, and pro-poor perspective as an input
to its climate change efforts, plans, and programs. Likewise, the government shall
encourage the participation of the national and local government, businesses, non-
government organizations (NGOs), and local communities and public to mitigate the
adverse effects of climate change. This is to align initiatives on climate change
into a collective approach (e.g. the disaster and risk reduction measures
integrated to climate change programs and initiatives).
Creation of Climate Change Commission. The Climate Change Commission (CCC), an
attached agency to the Office of the President, was created as the lead policy
making body on concerns related to climate change. The CCC is tasked to coordinate,
formulate, and monitor and evaluate programs and actions on climate change.
Ultimately, the CCC’s primary goal is to formulate the National Framework Strategy
on Climate Change which shall serve as basis in formulating and developing programs
on climate change planning, research and development (R&D), and monitoring of
activities. Further, the CCC supports capacity building activities of and provides
technical and financial assistance extension to agencies and institutions. It also
recommends key development investment areas on climate-sensitive sectors such as
water resources, agriculture, and forestry.
The Commission is composed of 27 government agencies, local government units and
representatives from the academe, business sector, and NGOs which formed part of
the Advisory Board. It is chaired by the President of the Philippines together with
three (3) Commissioners, one being the Vice-Chairperson. The CCC also constituted a
panel of technical experts consisting of practitioners of climate change-related
disciplines. The panel of technical experts primarily provides technical advices
on climate science, technologies, and best practices for risk assessment and
management to the Commission.
Formulation of Framework Strategy and Program on Climate Change. The National
Framework Strategy on Climate Change (NFSCC) was established to serve as the
roadmap for national programs and plans towards more climate risk-resilient
Philippines. Its main goal is to build the adaptive capacity of communities,
increase the resilience of natural ecosystems to climate change, and optimize
mitigation opportunities towards sustainable development. As a principle, NFSCC
serves as the framework for the formulation of climate change action plans both at
the national and local level.
In 2010, NFSCC identified key result areas (KRAs) or climate-sensitive sectors that
would be greatly affected by the phenomenon. The sectors include among others
agriculture, biodiversity, infrastructure, energy, and population, health and
demography. From these climate-sensitive sectors, objectives and strategies were
laid down either in the form of mitigation or adaptation.
Mitigation strategies aimed to facilitate the transition of the country towards low
greenhouse gas emissions for sustainable development in the long run. Targets
include enhancement of clean energy source; realization of full potential of
country’s renewable energy capacity; improvement in efficiency of the transport
sector through increased uptake of alternative fuels and expansion of mass
transport system; reduction of carbon footprints through energy-efficient design
and materials for public infrastructure and settlements; reduction of emissions
from deforestation and forest degradation; and full implementation of proper waste
management.

Adaptation strategies on the other hand, aimed to build the adaptive capacity of
communities and to increase the resilience of natural ecosystems to climate change
in the long run. Objectives in each KRA include enhancement of the availability and
quality of vulnerability and adaptation assessment; strengthen the Integrated
Ecosystem-based Management in the Philippines through management of watershed
ecosystem and multi-polar environments through river basin management approach,
improvement of coastal and marine ecosystems and communities’ resilience to climate
change, and mainstreaming biodiversity adaptation strategies to climate change in
government plans and actions; reduction of water sector vulnerability to climate
change through participative water governance, resource management and sectoral
policy reforms; protection and enhancement of ecosystem and ecosystem services to
secure food and water resource and livelihood opportunities; management of health
risks brought about by climate change; and reduction of disaster risk from climate
change-induced natural hazards.
In order to achieve the objectives in each KRA, cross-cutting strategies are
likewise given. These include capacity building, knowledge management and
information, education and communication (IEC), R&D, and technology transfer.
Implementation on the other hand, is carried out through coordination, financing
and partnership among national and local government agencies and other
stakeholders.
Development of the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP). In order to detail
the proposed strategy under the NFSCC, the NCCAP was developed. Streaming down to
the local units, NCCAP served as the guide of the municipal and city governments in
drafting their corresponding Local Climate Change Action Plans (LCCAP). In all
levels of plans and actions, integration of climate change concept and
encouragement of participation and involvement of concerned agencies and units are
promoted.
Under the NCCAP, priority programs and activities for the government were
developed. Seven priority areas were identified which include: (1) food security;
(2) water sufficiency; (3) ecosystem and environmental stability; (4) human
security; (5) climate-smart industries and services; (6) sustainable energy; and
(7) knowledge and capacity development. On the other hand, the LCCAP vary in each
local government and are drafted consistently with the NCCAP. The Barangays, the
smallest unit of government in the Philippines, are expected to support the
municipal and city government in implementing the climate change-related activities
indicated under the LCCAP.

Establishment of People’s Survival Fund (PSF). In July 2011, the Climate Change Act
of 2009 was amended to create the PSF. The law creating the PSF is embodied in RA
10174 otherwise known as the “Act Establishing the People’s Survival Fund to
Provide Long-term Finance Streams to Enable the Government to Effectively Address
the Problem of Climate Change”. The fund is established to finance adaptation
programs and projects planned under the NFSCC. An appropriation of one billion
pesos (PhP 1,000,000,000) under the General Appropriation Acts served as its
opening balance which can be augmented by donations, endowments, grants and
contributions. The said fund is being managed by PSF Board lodged under the
Commission. The CCC, on the other hand, evaluates and reviews project proposals for
funding and recommends approval of the proposal to the PSF Board.
The fund is used to support adaptation activities of local governments and
communities. Fund allocation are prioritized based on projects that has, but not
limited to the following: (a) level of risk and vulnerability to climate change,
(b) participation from the affected communities in the design of the project, (3)
poverty reduction potential, (4) cost effectiveness and sustainability, (5)
responsiveness to gender-differentiated vulnerabilities, and (6) availability of
climate change action plan.
Conclusion
The Climate Change Act was enacted to protect the right of the people to a balance
and healthful ecology. The law serves as an action plan that lays out the
strategies, initiatives, and activities to prepare the country to the inevitable
effects of climate change. Both the identified mitigation and adaptation strategies
aimed to build a more climate-risk resilient Philippines. In the end, achieving the
goals of the plans as stipulated in R.A. 9729 is deemed attainable with the support
and assistance of all stakeholders to include among others the national and local
government units, the private sector, the NGOs, and the local communities.

10 ways you can help fight climate change:

1. Push for reduced methane emissions from fracked gas

Methane is 84 times more powerful than carbon dioxide over a 20-year time frame.
Leading scientists estimate this gas alone is responsible for one-quarter of the
observed changes to Earth’s climate. Recent research suggests that methane
emissions from the oil and gas sector (mainly fracked gas) is a much greater
problem than reported.
Cutting methane emissions is one of the cheapest, easiest and most effective things
that governments can do right now to tackle climate change.
If we take action, reducing methane emissions can be a big part of the solution.
2. Get charged up with renewables
The global push for cleaner, healthier energy is on. With costs dropping every day,
renewable energy is the best choice for the environment and the economy.
People throughout Canada are leading on renewables, making a difference in towns,
cities and rural areas. You can, too!
No matter what your experience is or how much time you have, we’ll show you
opportunities to get charged up with renewables.
3. Green your commute
In Canada, transportation accounts for 24 per cent of climate-polluting emissions,
a close second to the oil and gas industry.
The many ways to reduce your transportation emissions will also make you healthier,
happier and save you a few bucks. Whenever and wherever you can:
• Take public transit.
• Ride a bike.
• Car-share.
• Switch to an electric or hybrid vehicle.
• Fly less (if you do fly, make sure you offset your emissions).
4. Use energy wisely — save money, too!
On a per capita basis, Canada is one of the top energy consumers in the world! By
getting more energy efficient, you’ll pollute less and save money.
The small changes you make add up:
• Change to energy-efficient light bulbs.
• Unplug computers, TVs and other electronics when you’re not using them.
• Wash clothes in cold or warm (not hot) water.
• Dryers are energy hogs, so hang dry when you can and use dryer balls when you
can’t.
• Install a programmable thermostat.
• Look for the Energy Star label when buying new appliances.
• Winterize your home to prevent heat from escaping.
• Get a home or workplace energy audit to identify where you can make the most
energy-saving gains.
5. Help put a price on pollution
Putting a price on carbon is one of the most important pillars of any strong
climate policy. Carbon pricing sounds boring, but it helps makes polluting
activities more expensive and green solutions relatively more affordable, allowing
your energy-efficient business and/or household to save money!
Most market economists agree that pricing carbon is an efficient and business-
friendly way to reduce emissions. The federal government is working with the
provinces and territories to put a national price on carbon, but they need your
support.
6. Consume less, waste less, enjoy life more
“We use too much, too much of it is toxic and we don’t share it very well. But
that’s not the way things have to be. Together, we can build a society based on
better not more, sharing not selfishness, community not division.” ~ The Story of
Stuff
Focusing on life’s simple pleasures — spending time in nature, being with loved
ones and/or making a difference to others — provides more purpose, belonging and
happiness than buying and consuming. Sharing, making, fixing, upcycling,
repurposing and composting are all good places to start.
7. Divest from fossil fuels
Let industry know you care about climate change by making sure any investments you
and your university, workplace or pension fund make do not include fossil fuels.
Meet with your bank or investment adviser and/or join a divestment campaign at your
university.
Fossil fuels are a sunset industry. They’re a risk for investors and the planet. As
Arnold Schwarzenegger said, “I don’t want to be the last investor in Blockbuster as
Netflix emerged.”
8. Invest in renewables
Even if you can’t install solar panels or a wind turbine, you can still be a part
of the clean-energy economy. Search online for local renewable energy co-ops to
join. By becoming a co-op member you will own a slice of its renewable energy
projects and can get a return on your investment.
9. Eat for a climate-stable planet
“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” ~ Michael Pollan
Here are four simple changes you can make to your diet to reduce its climate
impact.
• Eat meat-free meals.
• Buy organic and local whenever possible.
• Don’t waste food.
• Grow your own.
10. Tell your story, listen to others
A healthy planet and stable climate aren’t political issues. It’s all about
families, communities, energy systems and humanity’s future. It’s important to get
everyone on board, working toward climate solutions.
People are more often influenced by friends than by experts, so make sure to talk
about climate change with friends and family. Tell your stories — about changes
you’ve seen where you live, how climate change has affected you, and the changes
you’re making to lessen your impact. Encourage friends and family to explore the
top 10 things they can do about climate change.