6 August 2008: The UN Resident Coordinator for the
Philippines, Nileema Noble, and counterparts in the Philippines Government,
signed a Joint Programme on ‘Strengthening the Philippines’ Institutional
Capacity to Adapt to Climate Change,’ with a US$8 million grant from the Millennium Development Goals Achievement
Fund (MDG-F).

The participating UN agencies in the Joint Programme are: UN
Development Programme; UN Environment Programme; the Food and Agriculture
Organization; UN Human Settlements Programme; the International Labor
Organization; and the World Health Organization. The Joint Programme aims to:
mainstream climate risk reduction into key national and selected local
development plans and processes; enhance national and local capacity to
develop, manage and administer plans, programmes and projects addressing
climate change risks; and improve coping mechanisms through pilot demonstration
adaptation projects.
It will contribute to the Philippines’ efforts towards
attaining the MDGs by enhancing socioeconomic development through reduced
vulnerabilities and showcase innovative best practices on climate change
adaptation. The MDG-F is a global US$700 million funding facility that was
established in December 2006 by the Government of Spain to support programmes
in areas widely acknowledged as central in the achievement of the MDGs and
other internationally agreed goals. [UNDP Philippines press release, 6 August 2008]