WHILE we strive to recover from the pandemic, the recent destruction wrought by Typhoon “Maring” reminds us that the intensifying impacts of climate change are an enduring challenge.
As “Maring” (international name Kompasu) demonstrated, climate change puts at risk peoples’ lives and livelihoods, as well as personal and public property. Our thoughts are with those suffering the storm’s effects.
I have witnessed the devastating aftermath of such howlers: In the days after Typhoon “Rolly” hit in November 2020 I joined a United Nations-led assessment of Tiwi in Albay, where families and local leaders imparted the losses they suffered.
Such crises often bring out the spirit of bayanihan—recognizing the threat and frequency of such events, Australia and the Philippines have long cooperated on disaster and climate-risk management. The former has provided P1.2 billion to support partnerships between the national government, Australian science agencies, multilateral institutions and civil society to develop disaster reduction and climate-change-adaptation policies and activities.
This is important work for a more resilient future. In March 2021 we launched the latest iteration of this cooperation: Strengthening Institutions and Empowering Localities against Disasters and Climate Change, or SHIELD. Australia is investing P630 million through SHIELD, which will continue our work with local governments in 10 of the country’s most vulnerable provinces, as well as Metro Manila and the Bangsamoro Region, to increase institutional and community resilience to climate change and natural hazards.
SHIELD is an important part of Australia’s climate change cooperation with Indo-Pacific countries. In the coming years we will increase its climate-finance program by 50 percent, or up to P54 billion between 2020 and 2025, to support mitigation and adaptation efforts in the Indo-Pacific.
My country is a proud member of the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and the Global Ocean Alliance, working with partner-countries to address biodiversity loss by protecting the world’s land and oceans.
Australia is committed to building the health and resilience of the ocean, an issue of great importance to both our countries. As part of this commitment, we are investing around P3.6 billion in ocean action—including “blue carbon” seagrass and mangrove ecosystems, which act as important carbon sinks.
The commonwealth recognizes that helping communities adapt and build resilience to climate change must be complemented by efforts to reduce emissions. Australia is firmly committed to the Paris Agreement and to achieving net-zero emissions. As a country that is also increasingly impacted by climate change, we note the key role of coordinated, global efforts to reduce emissions.
We are working toward our emission-reduction goals: Australia has reduced emissions by 20.8 percent on 2005 levels—much higher than the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development-set average. It will beat the 2030 target based on the Paris Agreement, with updated projections to be released prior to the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP26, in Glasgow next week. Currently, renewables account for 18 percent of Australia’s energy generation, and are projected to reach 50 percent by 2030.
However, continuing to reduce emissions while still meeting energy needs will require significant investment. Australia, through its Long-Term Emissions Reduction Strategy, will harness low-emissions technologies to meet our net-zero requirements, while continuing to supply reliable and clean energy. Over the next decade Australia is investing billions of dollars in low emissions technologies to support their commercialization through cost breakthroughs in clean hydrogen, energy storage, carbon capture and storage, low-carbon steel and aluminum, as well as measuring soil. This will contribute to a clean energy supply chain for the Indo-Pacific region.
Australia and the Philippines will continue to face climate-related risks. I am confident that our strong partnership will underpin continued cooperation as we seek to adapt, build resilience and reduce emissions, with the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees.