Asia-Pacific lawmakers okay climate, disaster cooperation

Senator Loren Legarda. INQUIRER FILE

Lawmakers from 27 countries have adopted a Philippine-sponsored resolution on climate and disaster resilience at the 26th Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) in Hanoi, Vietnam, Senator Loren Legarda said on Sunday.

Legarda, Head of the Philippine delegation, authored the “Resolution Calling for Regional Cooperation on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation (CCAM),” which was adopted as APPF26 Resolution No. 10.

“Delegates from participating APPF member countries adopted the Philippine-sponsored resolution bearing in mind the urgent need to mobilize stronger and more ambitious climate action in line with the global blueprints for disaster risk reduction, climate change, and sustainable development,” Legarda said in a statement.

According to the senator, the resolution urges all APPF member-States to “integrate DRR and CCAM into their development agenda, plans, policies, programs and investments at the national and local levels and using a whole of society approach; to adopt their respective national adaptation plans; and to advance legislation to help ensure the fulfillment of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of governments under the Paris Agreement.”

“All our members are likewise encouraged to intensify cooperation in the aspects of finance, technology, and capacity-building, with the aim of mobilizing resources, leveraging knowledge, and sharing successful practices on disaster and climate resilience,” she said.

“We can never truly achieve real lasting growth within our region until we address our prevailing disaster and climate risks. Thus, we must build our resilience from within. We need to draw strength from each other. We must work together to transform our vulnerabilities into opportunities for sustainable and resilient growth for our respective nations, our region, and this only planet we call home,” she added.

The APPF, Legarda said, is a forum that provides opportunities for parliamentarians of the Asia-Pacific region to identify and discuss matters of common concern and interest and to highlight them in a global context. It was founded in 1993 by parliamentarians from 15 nations, including the Philippines.

The 26th annual meeting of the APPF was held from January 18 to 21. /cbb