Commission urges government, private sector to protect biodiversity

MANILA, Philippines – The Climate Change Commission yesterday appealed to all government units as well as public-private partnerships to take part in conserving the numerous protected area networks across the country and help advance actions to effectively address global warming and climate change.

On the occasion of the World Environment Day 2010, CCC Vice Chairman Secretary Heherson Alvarez implored the general public to actively participate and cooperate with the government and various cause-oriented organizations in protecting the biological diversity of the country, emphasizing that biodiversity conservation is a vital support to efforts to moderate the negative effects of the changing climate to humanity.

“Today, the interconnection between climate change and biodiversity is recognized far and wide. Biodiversity is greatly and alarmingly being affected by climate change, which results to negative consequences for the well-being of people,” he said.

However, Alvarez pointed out, biodiversity plays a pivotal role. “Biodiversity gives a significant contribution to both climate change mitigation and adaptation through the ecosystem services it supports. And so, the conservation and sustainable management of our biodiversity is crucial for our efforts to address climate change.”

The Philippines is recognized worldwide as one of the biologically richest countries, as it has been blessed with many endemic species. However, the Philippines is also considered as one of the most endangered areas or a biodiversity “hot spot” because many species in the country are massively threatened due to various factors like pollution and rampant logging, as it is highly vulnerable to climate change, which destroys their habitats, Alvarez explained. ==Rhodina Villanueva (The Philippine Star)