Amaro

Green cities, urban parks to prevent climate change

October 14, 2022 Cory Martinez 210 views

RESEARCH results on policies and strategic work to combat the adverse impact of climate change must not only be released on time but should also communicate the scientific information generated more effectively to target stakeholders.

This was the appeal of Jonas Leones, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and International Affairs, to the participants of the recently-held “R&D (Research & Development) Conference on Urban Parks and Green Cities: A Sustainable Future in Southeast Asia”.

The conference, which was organized by the DENR’s Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB), was attended by more than a hundred R&D specialists from Malaysia, Cambodia, Timor Leste, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Lao PDR, Singapore, Thailand, United Arab, India, and the Philippines.

Leones, who was tasked to deliver the keynote address on behalf of Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga, also urged the participants to work quickly and smartly in creating more partnerships on formulating science-based policies and implementing strategic work on the ground.

The DENR highlighted the need to improve the livability in Southeast Asian cities to effectively help them adapt to the impact of climate change.

Meanwhile, Marcial Amaro, DENR Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning, and Foreign Assisted and Special Projects, emphasized in his welcome remarks the overarching goal to make cities green, livable, and sustainable.

“Urban parks and green cities are integral to the health of people to build a sustainable future for all,” Amaro stressed.

“Strategies must focus on rethinking the development of cities, its parks, and their contribution to the protection of ecosystems, infrastructure, economy, and communities,” he added.

The conference revolved around the three elements of green cities and parks—built environment or infrastructure, nature, and the citizens.

A total of 39 papers on Green and Resilient Urban Communities; Urban Biodiversity, Ecosystem, and Economics; Management and Impact of Urban Parks; and Urban Governance and Policies for Greener Cities were presented during the conference.

There was also an exhibit featuring 35 poster presentations that provided various strategies and measures toward attaining green cities for a sustainable urban future.

AUTHOR PROFILE