IKI: Paving the way to a low-carbon and climate-resilient Philippines

The 7th International Climate Initiative (IKI) Annual Networking Activity, focused on building a low-carbon and climate-resilient future, brought together representatives from government partners, civil society organizations (CSOs), and other development agencies. The event kicked off on January 14 with a reception dinner and panel discussion. Panelists included Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Assistant Secretary Noralene Uy, Climate Change Commission (CCC) Assistant Secretary Romell Cuenca, and German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) Director General Inka Gnittke.

The panel discussion highlighted key takeaways from the recent Convention on Biological Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP16 and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP29. Focusing on the nexus of climate and biodiversity, the panelists stressed how climate change and biodiversity loss amplify each other’s impacts and emphasized the importance of nature-based solutions (NBS) in addressing both crises. They also shared their priorities for the upcoming UNFCCC COP30 in Brazil, including updating Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) 3.0, integrating gender-responsive approaches, and amplifying community voices.

The dinner reception was followed by a networking workshop on January 15 to strengthen community-building among IKI-implementing organizations, Philippine political partners, and IKI commissioning parties. Presentations from the CCC, DENR, and the Department of Energy (DOE) showcased national plans, roadmaps, and initiatives aimed at advancing climate action, biodiversity conservation, and energy transition goals.

The workshop served as a platform for organizations to share innovative solutions, such as selling climate information services, sparking change through tactical urbanism and open data, and connecting habitats and people to promote marine wildlife conservation. At the heart of the 2-day activity was the goal of creating connections and synergies among various organizations and agencies, with the hope of enabling more coordinated support and initiatives. Small group discussions allowed participants to share their contributions to advancing the youth climate movement, ensuring inclusivity for people with disabilities, developing finance flows modules, harnessing the power of community storytelling, promoting microinsurance accessibility, and advocating for energy democracy. The open spaces portion of the workshop encouraged further exploration of topics such as social inclusion, mainstreaming climate education, circular economy, inclusive transport, and urban river management and development.

The IKI Networking Workshop was organized by the IKI Interface Project in the Philippines, a component of the TRANSCEND Project (Transformative Actions for Climate and Ecological Protection and Development), led by GIZ. The IKI is implemented by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), in close cooperation with the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety, and Consumer Protection (BMUV), and the Federal Foreign Office (AA).