1. VULNERABILITY AND ADAPTATION EFFORTS: The Philippine Experience Ms. Gigi Merilo InterAgency Committee on Climate Change Secretariat Environmental Management Bureau Department of Environment and Natural Resources 1st AIACC Asia/Pacific Regional Workshop Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, March 24-27, 2003

2. Vulnerability information systems El Niño - La Niña Vulnerability Map Support for Greenhouse Gas Inventory

3. What have been done?  Conducted vulnerability studies and rapid assessment of the country ’ s vulnerable sectors and areas to climate change (agriculture, water resources and coastal resources)

4. What have been done?.Participated in a regional climate change project funded by the US Country Studies Program (1995-1997) which focused on vulnerability and adaptation assessments for the coastal zones, agriculture, and water resources sectors using climate scenarios with average changes in precipitation and temperature. The Program also initiated conduct of the National GHG Emissions Inventory in 1990.

5. What have been done? 1994 GHG Emissions Inventory.Prepared the Initial National Communications in 1999 which included the 1994 GHG Emissions Inventory. Subsequent training courses on GHG emissions inventory were conducted.

6. What more needs to be addressed? 4Further capacity building to develop strategies, policies and measures to reduce future vulnerability 4Risks associated with climate change, in relation to extremes and variability 4Adaptive capacity of communities and countries to deal with climate risks

7. What more needs to be addressed? 4Assessment of impacts in the human dimensions on water needs, risk assessment, settlements, health, food, etc. 4Development of a strategic adaptation framework and policy interventions considering social, environmental and economic circumstances 4Issues on understanding climate extremes, socio- economic conditions and vulnerability, adaptation strategies, and stakeholder engagement.

8. What do we want to achieve? uTo strengthen institutional and individual capacity of stakeholders to further assess vulnerability and adaptation to the impacts of climate change, including climate variability, risks and extreme events, in priority systems at the national and local level. uTo develop strategies and to implement policies and measures to prepare for adaptation at the national and sub-national levels.

9. Thank you...