TRANSCEND Project Kick-Off aligns Philippine priorities on climate action and biodiversity protection

More than 60 representatives from various Philippine government agencies and implementing partners attended the TRANSCEND Kick-Off Workshop, 15-16 February in Quezon City. The workshop focused on aligning the incoming International Climate Initiative (IKI)-funded project “Transformative Actions for Climate and Ecological Protection and Development (TRANSCEND)" to the current Philippine priorities on climate action and biodiversity protection; and reviewing the Philippine priorities through the recently approved Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028.

TRANSCEND will be jointly implemented by a consortium of different organizations: Conservation International Philippines, RARE, UN-Habitat, United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Clean Air Asia, International Council on Clean Transport, Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, Climate Analytics, the University of the Philippines Center for Women’s and Gender Studies, Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt, Energie gGmbH, with GIZ as the lead Project coordinator. 

The event was graced by Mr. Alexander Schmidt, representative of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany; Mr. Immanuel Gebhardt, GIZ Philippines and Pacific Islands Country Director; and Atty. Analiza-Rebuelta-Teh, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Undersecretary for Finance, Information Systems, and Climate Change. 

This workshop serves as the initial consultation in preparation for the official implementation of TRANSCEND to ensure that the outcome and outputs of the Project are favorable and appropriate to the current challenges and gaps the Philippines needs to address.