Climate Change Commission Seeks Partnerships for Carbon Neutrality in the Philippines

Manila – The Climate Change Commission (CCC) is actively engaging with Guangzhou Iceberg Environmental Consulting Services for potential collaborations aimed at advancing carbon emission reduction projects in the Philippines. This initiative, announced in a recent news release by the CCC, follows a courtesy call from Guangzhou Iceberg’s General Manager Ji Bao to Commissioner Albert dela Cruz. Ji proposed partnerships to bolster the country’s carbon reduction efforts through various projects, including forestry carbon sinks, hydropower and wind power stations, and biogas utilization.

According to Philippines News Agency, Ji, the concept of promoting global carbon reduction through market mechanisms has evolved over the past three decades, starting from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1992 to the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, and later the Paris Agreement in 2015. He highlighted the increasing relevance of ‘carbon emissions trading’ following the Philippine government’s announcement of dual carbon goals last year. Dela Cruz welcomed these partnership proposals, which align with the Philippine government’s ambition to achieve net zero carbon neutrality.

Zero carbon neutrality focuses on emitting no carbon from the outset, eliminating the need for offsetting emissions. Examples include transitioning company buildings to solar energy sources, contributing to a climate-positive environment by removing additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Dela Cruz emphasized the importance of concrete actions by Philippine businesses to avoid potential greenwashing and achieve carbon neutrality. He suggested partnerships, knowledge and technology exchange, and financial resources as key drivers for the private sector’s transition to net zero by 2050.