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BY PRINCE GOLEZ
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MANILA – The transition to low carbon lifestyles will bring a number of economic benefits to the Philippines, said environment and climate change expert Sen. Loren Legarda.
Legarda said low carbon living will ensure that the government achieve its long-term goal of a “matatag, maginhawa at panatag na buhay” for Filipinos.
Her remarks were made after the United Nations Development Programme issued a report by the Climate Vulnerable Forum, “Low Carbon Monitor” that tackles the impacts of limiting global temperature.
The report, the chief of the Senate Committee on Climate Change said, emphasized that the Philippine economy will have “as much as 1 percent” more output by 2040s if the safe limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius is maintained.
“If we take into consideration the facts stated in the report, we will see that going low carbon is crucial in our pursuit of our vision and development goals under the Ambisyon Natin 2040 of the National Economic and Development Authority,” Legarda said.
The following are the benefits of aligning with the global 1.5 degree Celsius target:
* prevent a loss of 0.5 percentage point in gross domestic product growth per capita by 2040s
* avoid reduced labor productivity due to heat in the work place
* improve economic stability and independence through investments in renewable energy
Legarda said that limiting warming intends to minimize losses caused by extreme heat to total national work hours of 1 percent at 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to 2 percent at 2 degrees Celsius.
Also, it will lead to the creation of 68 percent more energy-related jobs in 2030, she added.
“Today’s priority is to access the largest possible share of the benefits of the low carbon transition, and as quickly as possible. With the whole world working together, if all embrace low emissions development, renewable energy could be give times cheaper or more by 2050 – that is a vision of a low cost energy future we believe everyone wants and should get,” the senator said./PN
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