“Massive information dissemination” for effective climate change mitigation

Effective information and communication initiatives are key to effective climate change intervention.

This is according to Climate Change Office (CCO) head Albert Magalang during the government media’s regular tv/radio program “Talking Points”.

With the force of global warming already being felt all over the world like erratic weather - too forceful and prolonged typhoons, very hot weather conditions, and changing, short weather patterns - all clear manifestations of this disturbing phenomena, the Philippine government has been coming up with programs that will help soften the blow of climate change.

This is the very reason why the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has been actively implementing laws that will help curb the effects of climate change.

For starters, there are the programs like the National Greening Program, Log Ban, and Solid Waste Management Act that are meant to mitigate environment degradation.

The Climate Change Office is another product of the government’s efforts towards environment management. Located at the DENR main office in Quezon City, the office is primarily tasked in emission reduction with the cooperation of the private sector.

Magalang, in the tv/radio interview earlier today, stressed the role of the CCO in, first, emission reduction — not only of air pollutants but also greenhouse gases that are the number one culprit in global warming; and second, in energy conservation. The CCO, according to Magalang, is working in line with the climate change mitigation and adaptation measures by the DENR like the Air Quality Management, Water Management, Solid Waste Management, and Geohazard Mapping.

These mitigating efforts are in partnership with the private sector for stronger and symbiotic campaign between government and private corporations.

Magalang stressed the importance of working together of the whole nation to address the ominous effects of climate change. He said that aside from the projects involving the reduction and control of gas emissions especially those that are harmful to the atmosphere, the key to a an effective climate change intervention program is “massive infromation campaign.”

Dissemination of geohazard maps, greenhouse effects, alternative sources of energy, and the various government environmental programs to all sectors of the society and to the public is primal in achieving “positive climate change results.”