CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE for CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION in the Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific Maritime Region

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Posted By: Alberto Encomienda and Peter Flewweling 25-Jan-2022

Phase 1 (4 years) – A Pacific Ocean marine corridor in central Philippines

        Background. Phase 1 of the Programme spotlights a Pacific Ocean corridor in central Philippines serves as the initial focus for the wider Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific 3/ maritime region that is critical to global health and security. This large sea area as designated is comprised of interconnected enclosed-semi-enclosed seas sharing characteristic regional features. The Pacific Ocean central corridor in the Philippines constituting the municipal waters and sea areas of the Philippines in the Provinces of Surigao del Norte – Dinagat Islands – Bohol – Leyte – Samar – Sorsogon, are key to this Indo-Pacific /Indochina-Pacific link that also coincides as the hub area of the archipelago severely impacted by global warming, increased intensity of natural disasters, and deficiencies in appropriate levels of nutrition and food security as well as other socio-economic issues. The development and enhancement of capacity and good governance in the Regions and Provinces in this Pacific Ocean central corridor of the Philippines to mitigate the destructive impacts of Climate Change and associated threats to health, livelihood and security shall be through the establishment of a strategic science and technology driven Centre of Excellence in Leyte Province being the soft underbelly of the archipelago, and the heart of the Coral Triangle. This will entail the commitment of all three main branches of the national government, Legislative, Executive, and Judicial, in a whole-of-nation approach principally implemented through Local Government Units (LGU’s). This Pacific Ocean marine corridor will be the seed upon which to build the succeeding and expanding Phases 2 and 3 of the overall Programme with the focus on addressing SDG 13 and positively impacting on SDG 14.

Another area of grave concern in regard to the Pacific Ocean marine corridor in the central Philippines wherein the Centre of Excellence addressing adverse impacts of Climate Change can have a critical part, is in regard to anticipated disaster(s) waiting to happen. These are anticipated and not merely potential disasters, on account of its maritime character but in regard to the exercise of the right of archipelagic sealanes transit passage for foreign vessels. The Leyte-Dinagat Island -Surigao sea areas and the Bohol sea are entry and exit points between the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea. So is the San Bernardino Straits in the Samar-Sorsogon sea area.

The Philippines archipelago has seven such entry/exit points for the exercise of archipelagic sealanes transit passage that carries the same concerns relating to impacts on coastal resources and the environment, and livelihood, that must be given equal attention and due consideration along with pervading adverse effects of Climate Change. In other words, awareness of adverse effects of such impending disasters must be built-in into the Programme as an adaptation measure, mindful always that archipelagic States with its coastal and small island communities, are most vulnerable to temperature rise and sea level rise. For the same reason as aforesaid, and looking to the Programme Phase 2 whole-of-archipelago expansion an additional adaptation measure can take up from the IMO (International Maritime Organization) to designate the entire Philippines archipelago as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA). The central Philippines marine corridor in the Pacific Ocean is also the northern fringe of the Coral Triangle. In the context of the foregoing real concerns, the Philippines in the late 1990s presented a request to IMO for the establishment of an IMO Regional Office in the country.

        Objective: To develop mechanisms, processes, procedures to mitigate the negative socio-economic/political impacts resulting from Climate Change in the sea areas of the Provinces of Surigao del Norte-Dinagat Islands-Bohol-Leyte-Samar-Sorsogon though the commitment of the Local Government Units (LGU’s) and Regional Development Councils (RDC’s) led by Governors and City/Municipal Mayors in this Phase 1 marine corridor in the central Philippines, and develop lessons learned for a Phase 2 archipelago-wide national expansion.

Methodology:

Management:

A multi-sectoral Climate Change Advisory Panel (CCAP) must be established composed of appropriate Senior Officials from the Office of the President, DFA, DILG (with highlighted roles for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and PNP Maritime Police), DOST, DENR, DA, DSWD, DoT, and DepED, with representatives from the Regions, Provinces and Cities/Municipalities in the marine corridor to form a Steering Committee for Phase 1 to develop the framework of this phase and the template for Phase 2. The DFA and DA would co-lead the CCAP and Steering Committee.

The CCAP would create a Programme Management Unit (PMU) composed of management and technical specialists from Government and Civil Society to serve as the Secretariat to design and develop the full comprehensive Programme in its three phases. The Centre of Excellence with the PMU would serve as the catalyst and core of the Centre for the design and delivery of the programme components.

        Issues to be addressed for Phase 1:

  • Identification of clear socio-economic impacts of Climate Change:
    • impact on coastal areas and communities including infrastructure;
    • impact on upland areas and communities;
    • impact on food security and nutrition;
    • impact on health and health security;
    • impact on the environment;
    • impact on trade and peace/security in coastal communities;
    • impact on trade, peace/security, and good order in sea passages;
    • impact on local industries and agri-business centers;
    • impact on education and capacity for governance;
    • impact on capacity to address increasing severity of natural disasters;
    • impact on, and requirements for adjustment of legal/policy structures to address Climate Change; and
    • Others as may be considered appropriate
  • Identification of up-to-date processes to mitigate the above issues through a wide collective forum of government and private sector specialist advisors, would form an operational pillar for the operations of the PMU.
  • Identification of legal ramifications and development of appropriate legal instruments and policy directions under international/regional agreements to address and implement the recommendations for mitigation, would be among early tasks for international legal advisors, and a second pillar of PMU operations.
  • Promoting community awareness through development and dissemination of general training modules and materials for public and adult awareness sessions, and formal training modules for input into the educational system especially National Science High Schools, Agricultural Schools and Fisheries Schools; at the same time creating a focus for merging technical specialists with educational and community organizational advisors.
  • Identification and on-job training of a multi-sectoral professional team of future trainers for the Center of Excellence, working with the PMU, to assess and train ‘rapid response teams’ to be able to assess, organize and carry out initial response to Climate Change challenges, e.g., natural disasters, health epidemics, etc.
  • Mobilization of communities, regional, provincial, city/municipal and barangay governments, INGO’s and NGO’S, and local industries to become involved and commit to a network whole-of-nation approach and new mitigation practices, would be a challenging assigned task for organizers and trainers and form, with the above two activities, the third pillar of PMU operations.
  • Detailed Programme evaluation for Phase 1 involving independent technical specialists and legal/policy experts to produce clear lessons learned and detailed recommendations for the adjustment of mitigation mechanisms, would be a pre-requisite for the approval and commencement of Phase 2.

        Outputs:

  1. Delivery of Phase 1 objectives and identified issues;
  2. Detailed key lessons learned with detailed recommendations, for adjustment updating of Phase 1, and the further Programme development for Phases 2 and 3;
  3. Development under the PMU, of a combined national and international team for the formal training program of the Center of Excellence to create regional, provincial and local ‘rapid response teams’ for initial responses to mitigate climate change challenges.
  4. Decision for the expansion of the success of Programme Phase 1 towards a Phase 2 nationwide archipelago coverage, with appropriate adjustments/adaptations.

Financing / Funding Sources: Key government officials would be solicited to sponsor and champion the Programme, seek national Government funds and financing support from foreign Governments, International Development Banks, Civil Societies, and philanthropists.

Phase 2 (6 years) – Expansion towards archipelago-wide sea areas, east to west and south to north; the Philippines to be “staging point” for the wider Indo-Pacific/ Indochina-Pacific maritime region

Background: This Phase 2 of the Programme would assemble lessons learned from Phase 1 and will serve to adjust the development of mechanisms, processes and procedures to enlarge the umbrella of commitment to incorporate capacity-building and successful mitigation measures towards a new norm for national governance in the Philippines as an archipelagic State. With the slogan of ‘Climate Change Mitigation – Learning and Adapting for the Philippines archipelagic State,’ Programme Phase 2 will encompass the entire Philippines archipelago as the central political and geographic core for a regional ocean governance in a seamless link of a Large Marine Ecoregion (LME) that is the Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific maritime region.

Parallel to this Phase 1 and Phase 2 Programme expansion within the Philippines is the commencement of outreach programs to partner countries in the Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific sea areas in an UNCLOS Part IX 4/ context and application, that could already include early interaction and collaboration with “other interested States” and relevant international organizations and non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations, in accord with UNCLOS Part IX. This would endeavour to secure commitments of concerned regional countries to put aside straddling irritant issues and collectively address this common regional threat pursuant to the UNCLOS, and thus in essence a more localized regional copy of a “Common Heritage of Mankind.” The organizational/institutional design laid out above could serve as the precursor to a formally constituted “appropriate regional organization” as envisioned and exhorted in the opening paragraph of Article 123, UNCLOS Part IX; an extremely important point for awareness and consideration in the overall Programme development and implementation.

        Objective: To build on the positive results of Phase 1 and enhanced Climate Change mitigation measures; to expand the national geographic scope of the Programme to include the remainder of the regions, provinces and cities/municipalities of the Philippines for a Phase 2 nationwide coverage on account of the Philippines being an archipelagic nation-State, and through direct participatory involvement of Government and private sector/civil society in a whole-of-nation approach. Concurrently, a parallel outreach program interaction shall already begin and be initiated to prepare and secure commitment from the partner countries of the Indo-Pacific/ Indochina Pacific maritime region for a Programme Phase 3 implementation.

Methodology:

Management: The Steering Committee/Climate Change Advisory Panel would be enhanced with the addition of key representatives from the expanded Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific maritime region, with appropriate adjustment to the PMU to ensure the capacity to address the larger maritime geographic region. In addition, successful mechanisms would be further enhanced and explored in the enlarged Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific regional maritime area including possible adaptation or adoption of models such as that used in the Arctic Council and the EU Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP). The Centre of Excellence would commence its formal outreach training of future Climate Change technical, legal and management specialists from this Phase 2 nationwide programme area to form the core ‘rapid response teams’ and trainers in these new areas of wider Phase 3 regional Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific expansion; they would serve as first responders for the mitigation of climate change challenges, natural disasters, health and security issues and general ‘best practice’ management training.

        Issues to be addressed for Phase 2: The issues to be addressed in this Programme Phase 2 nationwide geographic scope would be in three main components:

  • The first component for Phase 2 would be an expansion of the tasks in Phase 1 to cover the entire archipelago and building on the successes and lessons learned in all issues addressed in Phase 1, including the steps of review of current mechanisms and capacity, assessment of legal/policy adjustments and implementing mitigation measures. Under this Phase 2 component would be the necessitated expansion of the ‘training of trainors’ program and ‘rapid response teams’ in the wider national geographic area at the regional, provincial and municipal levels through internships at the Center of Excellence combined with on-site training and coordination;
  • A second component for Phase 2 would be to develop, through central government sources, an outreach program to identify and cultivate official contacts in all key countries of the Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific maritime region. 5/ They would be one conduit to solicit and secure commitment for the wider-scope country partners’ involvement through a formal team from the Philippines PMU. The special Philippines PMU team and new contacts working together would assist in setting up PMUs in each of the involved country partners. Additionally, prospective Indo-Pacific/ Indochina-Pacific country partners would be assisted in setting up their respective individual Climate Change Advisory Panel / Steering Committee. An enhanced PMU of technical, legal and management advisors for the wider Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific regional phase with the larger program one Steering Committee would be comprised of the respective Chair of the Climate Change Advisory Panel of each country partner; and
  • A third component for Phase 2 would be to conduct economic study with the objective to seek partial or full cost recovery for the operations of the Center of Excellence to support and sustain continuation of the Programme and reduce any costs to the government.

Evaluation of Programme Phase 2 with lessons learned from the final report, to be included in Phase 3 planning.

The development and review of common legal instruments and formal regional agreements conformably to UNCLOS Part IX prescription will be key to the future success of the Programme on account of differences relating to oceanographic/ geographic/geophysical and marine geological classifications in the Indo-Pacific/ Indochina-Pacific maritime region, that has impacts on overlapping maritime jurisdictions.

        Outputs:

  1. The successful expansion of Programme Phase 2 outputs to the entire Philippines in order to secure its position as central and lead for expansion towards the wider Phase 3 Indo-Pacific/Indochina Pacific maritime region.
  2. Official links established for Phase 3 inclusion of Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific country partners in the wider geographic scope of the Programme, including establishment of Steering Committees in individual country partners.
  3. Evaluation and lessons learned to be incorporated in Phase 3 planning; and
  4. Selection of PMU for Phase 3 and agreement on Steering Committee which will form the body of a Committee of the Parties (COP) for regular reviews and adjustments to the Programme.
  5. Recommendations for partial or full cost-recovery mechanisms to address the ongoing operational costs of the Center of Excellence as the central supporting pillar for regional ocean governance in the Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific maritime region.

        Financing / Funding Sources Confirmed: Funding sources would hopefully have been identified and secured from the start of Phase 1 and with careful and transparent account of public access to the Programme expenditures, the PMU would hopefully obtain a formal timely commitment from all sources early on or mid-way through Phase 1.

PHASE 3 (10 Years) – Links to wider country partnerships in the Indo-Pacific /Indochina-Pacific maritime region as UNCLOS Part IX interconnected enclosed /semi-enclosed seas

        Background: The successful implementation of Programme Phase 1 and Phase 2 would need to be anchored on the establishment in the Philippines of the Regional Center of Excellence, building upon the national Center in the Philippines as the geographic and strategic epicenter for the larger maritime region. The national Center in the Philippines would then serve as a stepping-stone for the formation of a Regional Center for training and coordination of operations to mitigate the negative impacts of Climate Change serving the wider Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific maritime region.

Building on the contacts in the Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific maritime region from the national Center in Phase 2, seek support and collaboration to mitigate the impacts of Climate Change in this very important global maritime area to safeguard trade, commerce and socio-economic well-being. The national Center and staff from Phase 2 would reach out to expand the benefits and lessons learned in Phase 1 and Phase 2 to each of the above-noted wider regional contacts.

The Regional Center would also be equipped and staffed to serve as a Coordinating PMU for the national PMUs established in each of the member countries in the Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific maritime region, working together in establishing procedures to mitigate the multi-sectoral negative impacts of Climate Change. Country partners as Committee of the Parties (COP) shall establish mechanisms toward UNCLOS Part IX implementation with added focus on Climate Change adaptation, and thus serving the collective benefits of all countries in this wider maritime region of socio-economic/political importance. This would be carried through to the totality of the regional coverage 6/ emphasizing the commonalities and benefits of the Programme and to downplay the straddling socio-economic/political sensitivities and tensions – e.g., promote the ‘together we all win’ cooperation idea as a Phase 3 peacebuilding mantra.

        Objective: This Phase 3 of the Programme has, as main objectives, the following:

  1. To establish an Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific Regional Center of Excellence, building upon and expanding on the successes of Phase 1 and Phase 2 national program in the Philippines which is also the regional geographic and strategic maritime center, with capacity and capability to be the catalyst for Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific cooperation and collaboration to mitigate and address a key threat to global survivability – the negative impacts of Climate Change as the immediate threat, and further, as a step towards a critical contribution to overall peace, good order and human security.
  2. To develop and maintain a network of National PMU Centers of Excellence, to continue the ongoing scientific/technological initiatives to mitigate these issues towards the future as a global example of ‘What Can Be Done Together To Mitigate Negative Impacts Of Climate Change’ in an expansive regional cooperation undertaking;
  3. To formalize the commitment for such Indo-Pacific/ Indochina-Pacific regional cooperation and work to establish an intergovernmental regional mechanism for sustainability and building on the national PMU network for the future as envisioned in UNCLOS Part IX at Article 123.

Methodology:

        Management:

The national Center of Excellence for Phase 1 and Phase 2 in the Philippines form the core of the coordinating PMU for Phase 3 and extrapolating and applying lessons learned towards the wider Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific maritime region which shares characteristic regional features. For outreach initiatives at Phase 2 towards Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific participating entities, mechanisms must be established for the creation of national PMUs in partner countries, with local staffing and coordinating/advisory support from the Center.

For respective national PMUs, staff must be directly linked to the Center of Excellence in the Philippines as it evolves into the Regional Center of Excellence, for initial training from the Phases 1 and 2 Programme initiatives to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change in this Large Marine Ecoregion (LME) which essentially is mainly a collection of coastal and small island communities. This initial training shall be followed closely by national on-site partner training (Center of Excellence trainers in partnership with training national PMU trainers) in each of the Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific partner countries to enhance the confidence and capacity of each national PMU to expand the Programme in their respective countries.

Seek both legal/policy instruments and practical mechanisms to formalize and sustain the institutional and cooperation agreements in the Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific maritime region as an example of regional cooperation with extra-regional global partners as “other interested States” in consonance UNCLOS Part IX, in this critically important intra-regional geographical area of the world. In this regard, a diplomatic guide charting the outward push for the Philippines at this Phase 3 would firstly be with member States of the ASEAN since all sea areas around the ASEAN region are interconnected enclosed/semi-enclosed seas as defined under the UNCLOS at Part IX, and interconnected archipelagic waters. Needless to say, the Philippines must commit to spearhead this ASEAN tack and get all ASEAN Member States on board as partner countries. Beyond the ASEAN group of partner countries, principal regional partner countries would be China, Papua-New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Sri-Lanka 7/ noting the opportunity to include ‘other interested States’ per UNCLOS Part IX. The scope of participating States as laid out, additionally with the participation of relevant international agencies and non-governmental/civil society organizations as encouraged under UNCLOS Part IX, gives the Programme a world-wide reach and inclusivity.

        Issues to be addressed for Phase 3: The issues essentially include all those from Programme Phase 1 and Phase 2, however in a much expanded politically sensitive but globally important marine geographic area to demonstrate the benefits of regional / global cooperation within a rules-based policy context under UNCLOS Part IX. The aim is to contribute to mitigating the negative impacts of Climate Change as a first step to the survivability of the ocean planet, Earth, through ocean governance and adapting Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) principles and proven practices.

These management issues, among others relevant, and taking up from Phase 1 and Phase 2, are:

  1. The establishment of the Coordinating PMU for the overall Programme from the Regional Center of Excellence through the provision of technical, legal and management advisors for the wider Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific regional phase, including a Steering Committee to be comprised of the Chairs of each participating entities PMU/Climate Change Advisory Panel;
  2. Expansion of the tasks in Phase 1 and Phase 2 to cover the wider geographic area of all partner countries and participating entities, building on the successes and lessons learned from Phase 1 and Phase 2 in all areas, including: i) steps of review of current mechanisms and capacity; ii) introduction of mitigation measures; iii) assessment of legal/policy changes required; and iv) enhancement of the capacity to include and address special needs or vulnerabilities of each partner country in the Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific maritime region;
  3. Assist Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific partner countries in setting up respective individual Steering Committees/ Climate Change Advisory Panels, national PMUs, and their rapid response teams;
  4. Through central government sources, the Centre must develop an outreach program to identify official contacts and cultivate contact points in all key countries of the Indo-Pacific/ Indochina-Pacific maritime region. This action, as noted earlier, is to solicit and secure commitment for their involvement and assistance in setting up PMUs in each of the involved partner countries;
  5. Increased ‘training of trainers’ and ‘rapid response teams’ in the wider regional sea area at the intra-regional, national/provincial/municipal levels through internships at the newly evolved Regional Center of Excellence combined with on-site training and coordination; and
  6. Economic study with the objective to seek cost recovery for operations of the Regional Center of Excellence and Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific network of PMUs/formal national institutions to formalize and provide sustainability of the program for future years. Importantly, the legal/policy reviews for each partner country, coupled with the development of a common, agreed legal instrument and formal regional agreements will always be key to the future success and sustainability of this regional cooperation initiative. This is so when noting the political sensitivities in the oceanographic, geographic and geophysical spheres in the Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific maritime region. The commitment of each partner country and success of this Programme will set the tone towards greater cooperation to address this life-threatening concern.

        Outputs:

  1. The formal establishment of the Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific network of national institutes working with the Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific Regional Center of Excellence to mitigate the negative impacts of Climate Change through ongoing advances in scientific/technological and practical development initiatives in this Large Marine Ecoregion (LME) for the future.
  2. An example of ‘what we can do together’ to address global issues through cooperation if there is a commitment to do so, starting in this, one of the most sensitive intra-regional areas of the world.
  3. Sustainability of this Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific regional ocean governance network through financing and funding commitments from partner States, institutes and civil society to preserve life of Planet Earth into the future.

Financing / Funding Sources Confirmed: Funding sources would hopefully have been secured from the beginning at Phase 1 and with careful and transparent account of public access to the program expenditures, the formal and timely re-confirmation of financial commitment from all sources would be secured; with appropriate further commitments for sustainability of the Programme at large following proven success of the early national Philippines initiative. Quarterly financial reports must be openly disseminated.

* * *

The conceptual approach restated/reemphasized

The proposition involves reconstructing the Philippines as an archipelagic State under the UNCLOS at Part IV (Archipelagic States) and in relation to UNCLOS Part IX (Enclosed or semi-enclosed seas). These related UNCLOS provisions, and thus rules-based, would play into the post-COP26 national commitments as adaptation measures for the Philippines addressing peculiar vulnerabilities as an archipelagic State. Additionally, it is an indigenous NGO/Civil Society contribution to an all of nation approach to mitigate adverse impacts of Climate Change.

This is a Concept Paper on a proposed Programme for Climate Change mitigation in an institutionalized approach with the establishment of a Center of Excellence, to address the permanency in the issues involved i.e., (1) reconstructing the Philippines as an archipelagic State, and (2) Climate Change mitigation to meet specific concerns in an archipelago setting, affecting sustainability and resilience in regard to health and livelihood, and disaster response. These are intertwined core permanent interests of the Philippines and thus well beyond the year 2050, even granted that the 1.5 degree greenhouse gas emissions cap is attained.

Said another way, the Programme relates to constructing the Philippines as an archipelagic State under the UNCLOS and incorporating UNCLOS ocean governance principles as adaptation framework for a post-COP26 implementation. Following a perceptible drift in the COP26 narrative, these national Climate Change adaptation measures can be projected on a wider maritime regional scale in the setting of what amounts to an archipelagic continent sharing characteristic regional features.

To further explain, the Programme can be a stand-alone proposition as a core national interest of the Philippines archipelagic State. Nevertheless it seeks to incorporate COP26 in a practical adaptation towards further building national resilience against natural disasters, health and livelihood, and protection of the marine environment and biodiversity.

The conceptual broad brushstrokes for the project proposal centered on the establishment of a Center of Excellence for Climate Change Mitigation in the Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific Maritime Region, for a post-COP26 adaptation measures factored into archipelagic State nation-building, are reflected from borrowed quotes hereunder:

  • “If the world is not ready to take bold action on climate change, then the world must be ready for the disastrous results of climate change.” Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand.8/
  • “If we are really intent to treat the climate as a crisis, it’s really important for the governments, organizations and activists to all come together, to start taking concrete action.” Ridhima Pandey, a 14 year old climate activist from India.9/
  • “As a global community, we face many challenges in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to a warming planet, and the challenges of reducing poverty and creating an inclusive sustainable economy are no less daunting. But we know that it is no longer possible to achieve one without the other.” Sonia Mishtar, Special Assistant on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection to the Prime Minister of Pakistan.10/

This indigenous Philippines NGO post-COP26 adaptation proposal was officially submitted to the head of the Climate Change Commission of the Philippines on 13-November-2021.

End Notes:

  1. This initiative has been developed based on current issues and concerns that require urgent and timely action on a wide scale. It has been proposed as a phased programme commencing in the Philippines as the geographic central core of the Indo-Pacific /Indochina-Pacific maritime region and expanding to the wider region. As can be observed, this herein proposition as a regional contribution to help mitigate the adverse effects of Climate Change, is “outside the box” of the 2015 Paris Agreement, and an NGO/Civil Society effort.
  2. https://www.balikbalangay.com/
  3. The designation and scope of the regional maritime area in regard to this Programme proposition as the Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific is a melding of traditional geographic references for a more graphic projection of the targeted maritime area coverage. It is devoid of any political/geo-political connotations and sets aside maritime jurisdictional issues.
  4. PART IX ENCLOSED OR SEMI-ENCLOSED SEAS
    Article 122: Definition: For the purposes of this Convention, “enclosed or semi-enclosed sea” means a gulf, basin or sea surrounded by two or more States and connected to another sea or the ocean by a narrow outlet or consisting entirely or primarily of the territorial seas and exclusive economic zones of two or more coastal States.
    Article 123: Cooperation of States bordering enclosed or semi-enclosed seas:
    States bordering an enclosed or semi-enclosed sea should cooperate with each other in the exercise of their rights and in the performance of their duties under this Convention. To this end they shall endeavour, directly or through an appropriate regional organization: (a) to coordinate the management, conservation, exploration and exploitation of the living resources of the sea; (b) to coordinate the implementation of their rights and duties with respect to the protection and preservation of the marine environment; (c) to coordinate their scientific research policies and undertake where appropriate joint programmes of scientific research in the area; (d) to invite, as appropriate, other interested States or international organizations to cooperate with them in furtherance of the provisions of this article.
  5.  This outreach component can be incorporated into a South/South or North/South UNCTAD agenda for the Philippines, and further formalized under the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF).
  6. This will include all Member countries signatories to the program, hopefully including ALL of the States of the Indo-Pacific/Indochina-Pacific maritime region.
  7. The latter two States are Observer States in the ASEAN Organization. China and India are ASEAN Dialogue Partners.
  8. “NZ’s APEC host Ardern calls for ‘bold’ climate action,” Manila Bulletin, 11-November-2021 at p. B-5
  9. “What governments should learn from the climate activists” by Shanta Rau Barriga, Human Rights Watch, appearing at The Manila Times, 17-November-2021 at p. A-6.
  10. “Climate policy is social policy”, appearing in the Philippine Daily Inquirer 19-November-2021 at p. A-12.

About the Authors:

Alberto A. Encomienda. A career Foreign Service Officer of the Republic of the Philippines retired in 2009 with the rank of Chief of Mission, Class I. He served as the country’s Ambassador to Greece, Malaysia and Singapore. His career specialization is Oceans Law and Policy with an LLM degree from the University of London in 1972 and Columbia University in 1978, and advanced academic credits at the Columbia School of International Relations working towards a doctoral degree, also in Oceans Law and Policy. The last decade of his diplomatic career was focused and dedicated to Oceans Policy and Law of the Sea as head of the then Maritime and Ocean Affairs Unit (MOAU) under the Office of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs that also functioned as the Secretariat of the high-level Cabinet Committee on Maritime and Ocean Affairs (CABCOM-MOA). The CABCOM-MOA was later abolished and at the same time the MOAU was upgraded to the Maritime and Ocean Affairs Center (MOAC) with Mr. Encomienda as Secretary-General. The agenda of the CABCOM-MOA and its policy formulation and oversight functions were devolved to MOAC. To give a higher profile and prominence to ocean-related concerns of the country as an archipelagic State, MOAC functions were transferred to the Office of the President. Now designated as the Commission on Maritime and Ocean Affairs (CMOAS) chaired by the Executive Secretary of the Office of the President, Mr. Encomienda headed the CMOAS Secretariat for a year after its establishment. He is presently engaged in NGO Track 1½ work as Executive Director of balikBALANGAY, Inc.

Peter Flewwelling. His career commenced with 27 years in the Canadian Government, first as a Navy/Submarine Officer (1966-1977), then involved in the Department of Fisheries and Oceans from Fishery Officer to Acting National Director Regulations and Compliance and National Chief, Surveillance and Enforcement. The latter period included a stint as Director of Pacific and Caribbean Basin programmes in a Canadian Crown Corporation, International Centre for Ocean Development and retirement from government service in 1991. International initiatives being addressed as Director on retirement included 112 projects in the Indian Ocean, South Pacific and Caribbean Basin in marine ecosystem, fisheries management, environment and gender related affairs. From 1991 to 2013, Mr. Flewwelling has been involved in international development activities in the maritime sector in South America, east Africa/Indian Ocean area, Asia, and Western and Central Pacific with experiences in more than 60 countries on long and short term ocean management, fisheries and coastal State issues. Involvement as a consultant included projects and programmes as Programme Director, Team Leader and Team Member for the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Asian Development bank (ADB), World Bank (WB), Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Norwegian International Development Agency (NORAD), UNESCO, UNDP, AusAID, Municipal Governments, the Western and Central Pacific (Tuna) Commission as Compliance Manager, and IOTC and NAFO as member delegate, to positions such as he addresses today, Fisheries and MCS Advisor to the Ministry of Fisheries Mozambique. These duties included, as well as the positions noted above, the writing and publishing of global reference MCS publications; fisheries management development papers; programme implementation; evaluation and training; leading tsunami recovery activities; and working to establish regional fisheries management organizations.