The National Conference on Wetlands, Climate Change Adaptation and Biodiversity Conservation (NCWCCBC) held on 12 to 14 January 2009 at Silliman University in Dumaguete City aimed at setting the stage for the development of a national policy on wetlands, and a national strategy and action plan for the wise use of wetlands and wetlands resources, incorporating concerns on biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation.
Part of the preparatory activities of the conference was the formation of technical working groups to review policies, plans and programs related to wetlands conservation. Each Technical Working Group have small group meetings/workshops to consolidate and review information from various documents. These outputs became the working documents at the National Conference on Wetlands, Climate Change Adaptation and Biodiversity Conservation.
Desk Review and Small Group Workshops
At the Conference, breakaway groups were formed representing focal areas of concern namely Freshwater Wetlands, Marine and Coastal Wetlands, Wetlands Policy, and Enabling Activities. The working documents were subjected to further discussion and validation.
Stakeholders Recommendations
There were two main outputs at the Conference, a Conference Resolution and the elements of an updated National Wetlands Action Plan for the Philippines. The Conference Resolution recognized the importance of wetlands to humanity and to nature, its critical state owing to the various threats on these ecosystems, and strongly affirmed that the concerned authorities particularly the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Philippine Congress, and the Local Government Units, take action in implementing the priority activities endorsed by the participants.
It was agreed during the Conference that the ad hoc National Wetlands Committee which was formed during the Conference will convene within three months after the conference to transform the outputs into an initial draft of the National Wetlands Action Plan that will be subjected later to a nationwide consultation.
Plenary: Paper Presentations and Discussions >>
Field Exposure Trip / Observation and Community Interaction >>
Organizers and Participants >>
Implementors, Partners and Supporters –
