SEARCA and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) have agreed to collaborate in the conduct of a study on the socio-economics of climate change in the Philippines.

MOA Signing. Dr. Gil C. Saguiguit, Jr. (right), SEARCA Officer-in-Charge and Dr. Patricio S. Faylon, PCARRD Executive Director, sign the memorandum of agreement on a joint study on the socio-economics of climate change. Their respective witnesses look on.

The project is expected to provide science-based information to aid the Philippines in policy formulation related to climate change. It will consolidate existing literature to identify research gaps on the socio-economic implications of climate change as well as the socio-economic benefits of mitigation measures. It will also benchmark the Philippines’ socio-economic research on climate change vis-à-vis the neighboring Southeast Asian countries.

Looking at the socio-economics of climate change gives a human development perspective to climate change as a global problem. It will demonstrate how critical climate change is in addressing development goals.

"The impacts of climate change on the way we live are already felt and have been discussed in various activities. However, climate change also affects the way we do development. This project will hopefully shape the future direction of development policies and research," said Dr. Gil C. Saguiguit, Jr., SEARCA Officer-in-Charge.

Dr. Faylon noted that this collaboration between SEARCA and PCARRD will benefit not only the Philippines, but the Southeast Asian region as well. Moreover, he said the results of the project will benefit not only researchers, development planners, and policymakers but also the farmers who are greatly affected by climate change.