HER MAJESTY’S AMBASSADOR TO THE PHILIPPINES, MS. LAURE BEAUFILS, COP26 REGIONAL AMBASSADOR KEN O’FLAHERTY, HEADS, OFFICIALS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF CONCERNED NATIONAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, A PLEASANT AND SAFE DAY TO ALL OF US.

ON BEHALF OF THE PHILIPPINES, THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES, AS CHAIR OF THE CABINET CLUSTER ON CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION, MITIGATION, AND DISASTER RISK REDUCTION, WELCOMES YOU ALL TO THE 2ND CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENT DIALOGUE.

TODAY MARKS ANOTHER MILESTONE EVENT HIGHLIGHTING THE PARTNERSHIP OF THE PHILIPPINES WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM.

THIS DIALOGUE SHALL BUILD ON THE EARLIER PRIORITIES ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENT IDENTIFIED BY BOTH PARTIES DURING THE 1ST CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENT DIALOGUE HELD IN NOVEMBER 2020 AS PART OF THE KEY PILLARS OF THE UK-PHILIPPINES ENHANCED PARTNERSHIP.
SUCH PRIORITIES FOCUSED ON ENERGY TRANSITION AND NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS AND ADAPTATION.

IN PARTICULAR, THIS DIALOGUE SHALL TAKE STOCK OF THE PROGRESS FROM THE 1ST DIALOGUE, INCLUDING HIGHLIGHTING KEY FINDINGS OF ON-GOING COOPERATION SUCH AS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON LONG-TERM STRATEGY. WE ALSO HOPE TO AGREE ON FUTURE PRIORITIES.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO AN APPROVED JOINT WORK PLAN WHICH WILL GUIDE THE PRIORITY AREAS OF ENGAGEMENT INCLUDING REGIONAL FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS ANNOUNCED AT COP26.

FOLLOWING THE UK-PHILIPPINES PARTNERSHIP STATEMENT FOR THIS DIALOGUE, WE WILL FOCUS ON 4 STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES FOR 2022, NAMELY:

(1.) ESTABLISH A DEVELOPMENT PATHWAY TOWARDS NET-ZERO BY 2050;

(2.) BUILD RESILIENCE OF THE ECONOMY, ECOSYSTEMS, AND COMMUNITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF CLIMATE CHANGE;

(3.) MOBILIZATION OF SUSTAINABLE FINANCE AND GREENING THE FINANCIAL SECTOR; AND
(4.) STRENGTHEN COLLABORATION AND INCREASE AWARENESS OF INSTITUTIONS AND COMMUNITIES IN TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE.

THESE 4 STRATEGIES ARE CONTAINED IN THE JOINT WORK PLAN THAT WILL BE SUPPORTED THROUGH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE INCLUDING PRACTICAL RESEARCH AND STUDIES, POLICY SUPPORT AND MARKET DEVELOPMENT MECHANISMS, TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIPS, AND SHARING OF BEST PRACTICES FROM THE UK’S ONGOING PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS.

WE, THEREFORE, EXPRESS OUR SUPPORT AND GRATITUDE ONCE AGAIN TO THE UK GOVERNMENT FOR THIS DIALOGUE. MAY WE ALL HAVE A FRUITFUL ACTIVITY THAT WILL RESULT IN A RENEWED AND MORE ENHANCED PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE PHILIPPINES AND THE UK GOVERNMENTS.

THANK YOU.