73690 POLICY NOTE Climate Change Adaptation in the Philippines: Challenges for Community-Based Action The Philippines is a country that is both largely dependent on marine resources for its people’s socio-cultural and economic activities, yet also highly vulnerable to extreme weather events caused by climate change. Recognizing this, a Climate Change Adaptation Project, with support from the Norwegian Trust Fund, studied three coastal communities in three (3) different provinces in the Bicol region, widely known to lie in the so-called “Philippine typhoon belt�. The Project sought to establish a community-based adaptation strategy in pilot sites by providing guidance on setting appropriate policies, climate- proofing livelihoods with adaptation measures, and institutionalizing science-based-decision support systems. The Project also sought to develop a replicable template that can be used by and adapted to all other similar sites in the Philippines. The Project had four major components: (1) policy and legislation, (2) vulnerability assessment, (3) bio-physical adaptation measures, and (4) capacity-building and partnership. NORWEGIAN TRUST FUND FOR PRIVATE SECTOR AND INFRASTRUCTURE Key �ndings 1. The need to blend adaptation measures officials have recognized their value into climate-resilient livelihoods for and have pledged to integrate this into sustainability. The Project underscored their development and sector plans. the need for vulnerable coastal Further, the Project illustrated how communities to blend adaptation knowledge can be shared within and measures into their livelihoods to among municipalities, educational produce climate-resilient income- institutions, government agencies, generating opportunities, and gain both and development partners. Several socio-economic and environmental capacity-building workshops were benefits in the process. conducted, and instructional and educational materials distributed to 2. The need to establish Coastal and media networks and through social Marine Protected Areas (CMPAs). The marketing platforms, which helped Project generated scientific information build up knowledge of climate change affirming the protective shield that adaptation. coral reefs, seagrass, and mangroves provide against strong winds, storms, 4. Gains in local policy-setting and the and tidal surges in all three project institutionalization. Efforts were sites. This prompted their respective made to pass legislation supporting local government units (LGUs) and adaptation measures in each locality. coastal communities to establish The Project established the importance marine protected areas (MPAs) and of integrating disaster risk mitigation strengthen the management of and management (DRMM) and mangrove areas. climate change adaptation (CCA) into a community’s Comprehensive 3. The need to integrate science-based Development Plan (CDP) and information into decision-making and Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP). the role of knowledge-sharing. Various The Project also established the studies and assessments were importance of allocating budgetary undertaken throughout the course support for climate change adaptation of the Project. The importance policies. of early warning and community preparedness were also emphasized 5. The role of local champions and with the installation of local weather importance of partnership-building. monitoring systems in the villages. The Project highlighted the important This was to instill in the communities role of formal and informal local the importance of weather forecasting leaders who could sustain the gains as an important ingredient to disaster- achieved, scale up, or replicate the preparedness, and that disaster adaptation initiatives. The entire Project risk management actions and was a testament to the importance adaptation measures are integral to a of partnership-building between municipality’s Local Climate Change and among local governments and Action Plan. While use of these communities, as well as among private scientific frameworks has yet to be organizations such as media networks institutionalized in LGUs, government and environmental advocacy groups. Development challenges Policy makers, planners, and community are unmet subsistence needs of leaders need to develop and adopt a farmers and fisherfolk who heavily holistic, community-driven, ecosystem- rely on natural resources based based, adaptation strategy in a livelihoods, there will continue to sustainable, cost-effective, and socially be threats to the implementation inclusive manner. However, they face of adaptation measures in coastal key challenges that were revealed by the areas. It is therefore imperative to Project. Some of these were addressed strike a balance between economic during the implementation process, while development and the conservation of the rest must be considered for future natural resources. research and application. 3. Mainstreaming CCA in local 1. Communicating climate risks and development planning and municipal building partnership networks. The investments. There is an urgent need growing impact of climate change is to set and adopt climate-smart national not easy for villagers to understand, and local policies, and appropriate and must be communicated to them in plans and programs for development a clear and simple message. Alliances projects. Its preparation should involve need to be forged with stakeholders wide public consultation to ensure to leverage various efforts in transparency and accountability. communicating climate change issues to a wider audience. 4. Disseminating climate-resilient technologies to communities. 2. Establishing socio-economic and National and local government ecosystem-based resiliency through offices should be responsible climate-smart livelihoods and for the timely dissemination of sustainable adaptation measures. climate-resilient technologies, and Poverty and other socioe-conomic to provide appropriate extension factors threaten the sustainability services, including start-up financial of efforts to conserve natural and technical assistance to coastal ecosystems. For as long as there communities. Recommendations for community-based climate adaptation strategies • Use traditional local knowledge to in community-based efforts involving address climate risks and disasters, climate forecasting that combines resource management and other scientific prediction with traditional adaptation efforts. To ensure the information, promoting the success and sustainability of propagation of coral reefs, seagrass, conservation efforts, it is necessary and mangroves; in setting the to use indigenous knowledge, local boundaries of marine protected areas; practices, and institutions. This local and in finding engaging ways of knowledge will be most helpful effectively implementing local laws. • Cultivate climate-smart agriculture cumulative environmental impact and a livelihood-diversified economy. assessments of infrastructure to avoid Diversifying sources of livelihood that adverse effects on the integrity of are not entirely resource-dependent coasts that lead to coastal erosion and is critical in building a community and to the destruction of natural habitats. local economy that is not vulnerable to climate change and in contributing to • Increase adaptation competence of achieving food security. provincial, municipal, and village-level legislators and planners to enable them • Increase climate governance, to craft legislation and development knowledge-sharing, and community plans that are cognizant of climate engagement. Partnerships and change and disaster management. This alliances can strengthen community can be achieved by making disaster efforts to manage risks and limited preparedness training an integral resources. For example, a partnership component of adaptation programs, with the Coast Guards and the Navy, with significant emphasis on prevention particularly in conducting night patrols, prior to rescue and mainstreaming allowed local governments to better disaster preparedness in the legislation enforce local laws. of adaptation policies. • Adopt an ecosystem-based local • Adopt a science-based, adaptation- development. The ecosystem should centered, participatory approach to be of foremost consideration in decision-making at the provincial, development planning. In view of municipal, and village government this, the massive reclamation and levels. Use the local Climate Change conversion of coastal areas into fully Action Plan to guide the preparation of developed, concrete zones should be Municipal Comprehensive Land Use prohibited. Keep natural zones such Plans, Comprehensive Development as intertidal zones, flood plains, and Plans, and short-term to long-term river channels natural-flowing and Investment Plans. Involve the national free from any obstructions including government agencies, such as the human settlements and business Department of Interior and Local establishments. Government and the Housing and the Land Use Regulatory Board, • Build climate-smart infrastructure in in overseeing the preparation of buffer zones and restrict resource these plans, on which the municipal extraction and development governments will base their budgets in conservation areas. Require and investments. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Maya Q. Villaluz, Task Team Leader at mvillaluz@worldbank.org DISCLAIMER: The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsememnt or acceptance of such boundaries. THE WORLD BANK GROUP WORLD BANK OFFICE, MANILA 1818 H Street, NW 23rd Floor, The Taipan Place Emerald Avenue Washington, D.C. 20433 USA Ortigas Center Pasig City, Philippines Tel: (202) 473-1000 Tel. (63 2) 637-5855 Fax: (202) 477-3691 Fax. (63 2) 917-3050 Telex: MCI 64145 WORLDBANK www.worldbank.org.ph MCI 248423 WORLDBANK Internet: http://www.worldbank.org Copyright © The World Bank in the Philippines 2012