Baguio City committed to reduce carbon emissions — mayor

BAGUIO CITY — The Baguio City government has committed to reduce carbon emissions in the "Summer Capital" by 2030 and achieve a "Net Zero" in greenhouse gases by 2050.

Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong explained that such commitment means that the amount produced and sequestered, when totaled, negates each other and amounts to zero.

Greenhouse gases raise the surface temperature of the earth that causes global warming and climate change, according to a geological website.

To achieve net zero, Magalong said that the city has been aggressive in pushing for the public utility jeepney (PUJ) modernization program being the first local government unit to express interest in establishing a low carbon urban transport system.

Another effort is the ongoing urban forest management program which includes tree planting activities and ensuring their survival through regular care and upkeep.

Baguio City is also rehabilitating its sewerage system with a $50 million loan from the Asian Development Bank since it currently produces so much greenhouse gases because it is dirty and not being cleaned properly with waste water being dumped into the system.

Magalong added that the city likewise aggressively pursues the waste-to-energy project that has become a BLISTT (Baguio, La Trinidad, Sablan, Tuba, Tublay) Development Authority project where a waste-to-energy plant will be erected in Sablan, Benguet.

When completed, the mayor said the city’s garbage will be dumped in this facility instead of in a landfill which produces methane gas that is 38 times more destructive than carbon.

These and other programs are in line with Magalong administration’s thrust to revitalize the city’s environment as part of its seven-point core agenda.