Dubai, 1 December 2023 – The Global Centre for Climate Mobility (GCCM) presented the Southeast Asia Climate Mobility Champion Leader Award to H.E. President Ferdinand Marcos of the Republic of the Philippines at the COP28 Climate Mobility Pavilion in Dubai. Receiving the Award on his behalf were H.E. Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) of the Philippines; and Mr. Anton Lagdameo, Jr., the Special Assistant to the President.
“In the context of the Philippines, we see the complex interlinkages between migration, environment, food security, and rural development – and the factors that determine if people will migrate, including economic factors, environmental degradation, climate shocks and of course conflict,” said H.E. Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) of the Philippines.
The Award was presented at the end of the High-Level Panel “Climate Action for Sustaining Peace” bringing together global leaders at the nexus of climate change, development, and peace to inform why empowering adaptive capacities, resilience, and mobility of frontline communities is a top priority for the international climate agenda. Secretary Yulo-Loyzaga pressed for urgent support to address climate mobility at the sub-regional, national, and local levels as a means to enable people-positive adaptation journeys. Joining the Minister in the High-Level Panel were H.E. Dennis Francis, the President of the UN General Assembly; Ms. Amy Pope, Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM); and H.E. Carlos Alvarado Quesada, former President of Costa Rica as the moderator. Together, they explored comprehensive solutions to the challenges posed by climate change, emphasizing the critical role of addressing climate-induced migration and displacement to advance resilience and sustain peace.
“The Philippines has made climate mobility its top priority under the leadership of H.E. President Marcos. The GCCM looks forward to working closely with the Philippines to convert this momentum into a clear agenda and concrete actions to support affected cities and communities,” said Kamal Amakrane, Managing Director of the Global Centre for Climate Mobility.
For more information, please contact:
David Lonnberg, lonnberg@climatemobility.org, +1-347-836-2121
About the GCCM:
The Global Centre for Climate Mobility (GCCM) is a global partnership at the nexus of climate action and human mobility to enable positive adaptation journeys for people and communities at the frontline of the climate crisis. It is enabled by the United Nations and advanced by champion countries, UN Agencies, the World Bank, and regional organizations with support from philanthropy, civil society organizations and research partners. The GCCM supports community transition in the most vulnerable regions through regional initiatives that enable countries and frontline communities to anticipate, plan, and design responses for climate mobility. It currently enables the implementation of the Rising Nations Initiative, the Africa Climate Mobility Initiative, the Greater Caribbean Climate Mobility Initiative, and the Pacific Climate Mobility Initiative. The GCCM also acts as the secretariat for the Pacific Island Communities Climate Fund and the Coalition for Addressing Sea-Level Rise & its Existential Threats (C-SET).
