In celebration of the National Bicycle Month this November and in observance of the National Climate Change Week, the cities of Iloilo, Mandaue, and Naga were named as the most bike-friendly cities in the Philippines in the nationwide leg of the Mobility Awards.
The Glasgow climate pact passed yesterday during the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (CO26) reflects the lack of political will of world leaders to end the climate crisis. For us in the Climate Reality Philippines, COP26 was “an incremental step forward” rather than the “monumental leap” needed to ensure a livable planet for all.
Although sustainability has become the core priority of today’s corporate boards, the need for directors to enhance accountability and operationalize environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) principles in leadership strategies has outpaced performance. For companies looking to establish their presence for the long-haul, this can only pave the way for a more resilient, high efficiency future.
This was the overarching message delivered in the webinar organized by the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD), the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), and The Climate Reality Project Philippines.
Corporate directors in the Philippines explored opportunities to accelerate climate action and resilience in coastal communities, as world leaders underscore greater climate action from the private sector in the ongoing climate talks in Glasgow. Business officials were presented with corridors where they could contribute to meeting the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and the 1.5 degrees Celsius global warming threshold set in the Paris Agreement.
“Mobility becomes essential the moment we see how it enhances fundamental development goals such as inclusivity, democracy and gender,” said Pinay Bike Commuter founder Jaramia Amarnani. “And if we want to elevate the importance of women’s rights and the right to good health, while deepening democracy, we need to elevate the importance of mobility,” she added.
Experts tackled the crucial intersections in a webinar today showing converging pathways in the campaign for safer interconnected networks for cyclists and pedestrians across the Philippines.
Corporate directors stress the urgency to fast track the energy transition in the country, heeding the Code Red warning issued by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) earlier this year.
“Evidence clearly shows even before the pandemic that coal has been intermittent and unreliable. As households and the private sector struggle with the economic impacts of COVID-19, data also shows coal is the reason behind spiking electricity bills and rotating blackouts. Continuing with coal is Code Red for businesses,” said Jephraim Manansala, chief data scientist of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), in the first part of the Pilipinas: Aspire, Rise, Sustain corporate governance series organized by the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) with ICSC and The Climate Reality Project Philippines.
