QUEZON CITY, April 8 (PIA) -- The Climate Change Commission (CCC) is encouraging all Filipinos to join in the global call for strengthened and unified actions to nurture the Earth in celebration of the Month of Planet Earth this April.

April of every year is declared as the Month of Planet Earth by virtue of Proclamation No. 1482, s. 2008, and throughout the month, various sectors celebrate with activities aimed at raising awareness and strengthening programs to protect and save the planet from environmental degradation and to ensure a sustainable future for all.

With the theme, "Doing our Fair Share to Restore the Earth," this year's celebration calls for sustainable and resilient recovery not only from COVID-19, but also from the escalating climate-related disaster risks.

While looking for efficient ways to put a stop to the rise of COVID-19 cases and providing aid to the Filipinos who were severely affected by the pandemic, we must not pull back from continued climate action.

The CCC recalls that within a year into the pandemic, the world has witnessed rampant wildlife trade and continued environmental exploitation which has stalled the socioeconomic growth of most countries around the globe and poses threat to health, food and human security.

Recognizing that climate action is one of the pillars of swift and sustainable recovery, the CCC said that the people and the communities' capacity to respond, adapt, and recover from emerging threats must be ensured and enhanced.

With this, the CCC urges all sectors to frame and implement green recovery to sustain climate action momentum while addressing the impacts of the pandemic. The climate body also strongly calls for collaboration and recognition of the collective responsibility among the people and the government to activate and enhance emergency response systems to build inclusive and sustainable economies that are more resilient to challenges like COVID-19 and climate change.

As the Philippines and countries across the world face a daunting challenge in the midst of COVID-19, the CCC stresses that only a green pandemic recovery can be sustained in the long term to protect the most vulnerable communities and sectors.

To recall, the Climate Change Commission is the lead policy-making body of the government tasked to coordinate, monitor and evaluate the government programs and ensure mainstreaming of climate change in national, local, and sectoral development plans towards a climate-resilient and climate-smart Philippines. (PIA NCR)