Legarda: PH must understand threat of climate change to national security

Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change, today said that the country should understand the effects of climate change in all aspects of society, including national security.

Legarda said that the forum on security implications of climate change today, jointly organized by the Office of Senator Legarda and the British Embassy, will raise the awareness of the people on the matter and help the defense forces of the country recognize what they need to do in order to formulate a defense strategy against climate change.

"We need to know the serious security risks that a changing climate presents, the conditions that this will create, how these may affect a country's national security interests and what actions should the nation take to address these consequences," she explained.

"We are privileged to expand our understanding on the subject matter through the lens of UK Rear Admiral Neil Morisetti's military experience as a strategist and a leader," she added.

The Senator stressed that with the vulnerability of the Philippines to disasters--ranked 12th among the 200 countries most at risk from tropical cyclones, floods and landslides, according to the 2009 Mortality Risk Index by the UNISDR--the forum can help policy and decision makers of the country devise the best strategies and responses to address climate change.

"We need to encourage the mainstreaming of climate change into national security and defense strategies. We need to explore partnerships, amidst national boundaries and divergent economic status, that will help the country build the mechanisms necessary to enhance resiliency to climate impacts. We need to do these now in order to achieve a safe, stable and secure environment for our people," Legarda concluded.