The Philippines and the United Kingdom will hold another round of dialogue to further strengthen their cooperation on priority climate change and environmental concerns, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, water security, biodiversity conservation, marine pollution, and sustainable and green climate finance.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Antonia Loyzaga and UK Ambassador to the Philippines Laure Beaufils will lead on April 13 the 3rd PH-UK Climate Change and Environment (CCE) Dialogue, which is expected to take the partnership of the two nations to new heights by building on the gains from two important agreements forged in 2020 and 2022.

Sealed during a dialogue held on Nov. 27, 2020, the first PH-UK CCE partnership deal served as a platform to facilitate discussion on shared priorities on climate change and environment between the two governments, with a joint focus on energy transition, nature-based solutions and green economic recovery.

In the second partnership agreement, signed at the culmination of the dialogue held on Feb. 10, 2022, the Philippines and UK agreed on a joint work plan that served as a guide in identifying priority areas of collaboration.

Specifically, these priority areas revolved around building resilience of the economy, ecosystems and communities in the context of climate change; establishing policies and regulatory frameworks towards clean energy and net zero pathways by 2050; sustainable finance and greening the financial system; and stronger collaboration and increase awareness of institutions and communities in tackling climate change.

The 3rd PH-UK Dialogue seeks to build on the gains made from the past agreements and will work on the preparation of an updated PH-UK CCE Action Work Plan 2023-2024 to be signed by Secretary Loyzaga and Ambassador Beaufils on behalf of the Philippine and UK governments, respectively.

Secretary Loyzaga will sign the renewed partnership agreement in her capacity as representative of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to the Climate Change Commission (CCC) and Chairperson of the Cabinet Cluster on Climate Change Adaptation, Mitigation and Disaster Risk Reduction.

Expected to take part in the dialogue are senior executive officials from concerned national government agencies, such as the CCC, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Finance, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, and the Department of Energy.

Also invited are the officials from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the Department of Budget and Management, the National Economic and Development Authority, the Public-Private Partnership Center, and the Securities and Exchange Commission. #
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