RP scientists conduct study on climate change socioeconomics

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna , Philippines  – A research project that focuses on the socioeconomics of climate change in the Philippines is on.

The study is titled “State of the Art on the Socioeconomics of Climate Change in the Philippines: Expert Synthesis and Benchmarking.”

It is being undertaken by the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization-Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEAMEO SEARCA) and the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCARRD). Both are based in Los Baños.

SEARCA is one of the 15 “centers of excellence” of SEAMEO, an inter-government treaty organization founded in 1965 to foster cooperation among Southeast Asian nations in the fields of education, science, and culture.

PCARRD is DOST’s sectoral council. It coordinates, evaluates, and monitors agriculture, forestry, and natural resources research in the country.

SEARCA, through its director, Dr. Gil C. Saguiguit Jr., and PCARRD, represented by its executive director, Dr. Patricio S. Faylon, have signed a memorandum of agreement for the implementation of the project.

Dr. Ernesto Brown of PCARRD told The STAR that the PCARRD-SEARCA team has started going over studies on the socioeconomics of climate change conducted over the past few years by research institutions and students who have chosen CC as the subject of their dissertations and thesis.

On the whole, the project is expected to provide science-based information to assist the Philippines in policy formulation related to climate change.

It will consolidate existing literature to identify research gaps on the socioeconomic implications of climate change as well as the SE benefits of mitigation measures. It will also benchmark Philippine SE research on CC vis-à-vis those of neighboring Southeast Asian countries.

Dr. Saguiguit noted that the impacts of climate change on the way people live are already felt and have been discussed in various activities.

However, the SEARCA official averred, climate change also affects the way we do development. This project will hopefully shape the future direction of development policies and research.

Dr. Faylon also pointed out that the collaboration between SEARCA and PCARRD will benefit not only the Philippines but Southeast Asia as well. Moreover, the results of the project will be useful not only to researchers, development planners, and policymakers but also farmers who are greatly affected by climate change.

Summing up, SEARCA and PCARRD stressed: “Looking at the socioeconomics of climate change gives a human development perspective to this phenomenon as a global problem. It will demonstrate how critical climate change is in addressing development goals.”