Year 2011 - 12

Matching Local Government Low Carbon Ambition with Financing Programs & National Policy Support

Spearheaded by the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (iCSC), the British Embassy Manila participated in the event called, "National Convergence for Climate Sustainable Communities". A pioneering assembly between Local Government Units and Financing Institutions to match the Banking Sector Agenda with Low Carbon, Climate-Resilient Development Programs.

The Convergence Meeting was designed by the Aquino Administration's Climate Finance Group, in partnership with the iCSC, to develop low carbon, climate-resilient development menus for Philippine localities.

The event provided an opportunity for banks and other financing institutions to present financing facilities and products and gain a more robust understanding of the growing financing needs among potential local government clients eager to address challenges posed by a climate change-constrained future. It provided an avenue as well for development partners and the Climate Finance Group, led by the Department of Fiance and the Climate Change Commission, to listen, learn and identify needed policy interventions that can lead to more effective matching efforts between local program needs and the banking sector.

Below is an excerpt of the speeech delivered by Deputy Ambassador Trevor Lewis:

"The stability and future of the global economic system depends on the reliable supply of key
resources, such as energy, food, water and raw materials. And access to those valuable resources is
a major security concern, so this is not an issue that can be taken lightly. Low carbon, climate
resilient growth is the only realistic option for sustainable growth in the future.

In less than a week, over 190 countries will meet in Durban to map out the international climate
change regime required to limit global average temperature rises to below 2 degrees above preindustrial
levels. We must continue to make real progress within the UN framework to help deliver a
single legally binding agreement that demonstrates to the world that the necessary action is being
taken to avoid dangerous climate change. Those negotiations won’t be easy, but they must be
ambitious."

To read the full transcript of the Deputy Ambassador's speech, please download here [PDF, 101 KB, opens in new window]

eJeepney Battery Swapping Programme

The British Embassy in Manila, in partnership with the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (iCSC) has unveiled the Philippines’ first electric jeepney fleet battery swap scheme. The project is funded by the UK Government through the South East Asia Prosperity Fund. The project’s main purpose is for the expansion of eJeepney deployment, innovation and private sector partnership with local governments.  It  seeks to create momentum that leads to an investment tipping point, where 10% of total public utility jeepneys is replaced by electricity powered public vehicle applications within less than a decade. It will be a transition mainly driven by small and medium enterprise and individual investments in terms of fleet operations.

Emissions from the transport sector currently represent 30% of all pollution in the Philippines, and approximately 80% of air pollution in Metro Manila. Statistics show that every hour, motor vehicles in the Philippines consume 2.029 million litres of gasoline, 2,200 metric tons of carbon dioxide is pumped into the air, and four Filipinos die from dirty air.

In the United Kingdom, 21% of domestic carbon emissions are from transport, of which 92% are from road transport.  The UK has set a 4th carbon budget to reduce domestic emissions by 50% by 2025.To meet UK emission reduction targets, the transport sector needs to be decarbonised and a key element will be the move to ultra-low carbon vehicles, such as electric vehicles.  An electric vehicle powered with electricity generated from the current UK grid can emit up to 40% less CO2 than a conventional petrol vehicle.

You may view the iCSC press release on the project above, in their website.

As emissions in the transport sector are mitigated, they contribute to the solution of curbing dangerous climate change.  On 28 November, over 190 countries will meet at the UN Climate Change conference in Durban to map out the international climate change regime required to limit global average temperature rises to below 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels.  Making progress within the UNFCCC must be continued to build the requisite political will and confidence to deliver a single legally binding agreement that delivers confidence that action is being taken at the necessary levels to avoid dangerous climate change.