# The value of engaging local communities in climate action: Reflections from a dialogue with civil society leaders in the BARMM, Philippines April 22, 2024 - [ Blog ](/news-categories/blog) By [Keanu Costales](/people/keanu-costales), Grants and Communications Specialist at [HHI's Program on Resilient Communities](/program-resilient-communities) ###### ![picture1_04](/sites/g/files/omnuum6866/files/humanitarianinitiative/files/picture1_04.jpg) ###### Climate change and conflict exacerbate environmental degradation | Photo of Ligawasan Marsh by Bong S. Sarmiento / Photo with depleted resources is AI-generated Being the most disaster-prone country in 2023 according to the [World Risk Report](https://www.preventionweb.net/publication/world-risk-report-2023-focus-diversity), the Philippines is at the forefront of the impacts of climate change. Days are getting hotter, and extreme weather events are becoming more severe and unpredictable, resulting in serious socio-economic disruptions. In 2023, the country incurred [Php 24.49 billion worth of damages](https://psa.gov.ph/statistics/environment-statistics/node/1684062606) due to natural extreme events and disasters. When compounded by environmental degradation and social friction, which are particularly evident in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the effects of climate change can worsen. In 2023, around 135,000 people were [displaced in the BARMM](https://www.unocha.org/publications/report/philippines/philippines-2023-significant-natural-hazards-and-conflicts-snapshot-12-january-2024) and other areas in Mindanao due to the combined effects of climate-related hazards and conflicts. Hence, it is crucial for top-level actors to proactively respond to these present challenges. **Top-level climate action** In December 2023, the Philippines has secured a seat on the board of the global “Loss and Damage Fund,” dedicated to supporting nations most vulnerable to climate-related impacts. This move echoes the country’s commitment to global climate action. Meanwhile, at the national level, a bill declaring the Philippines under a state of climate emergency is making its way through the legislative process. If approved by the Senate following its passage in the House of Representatives, this bill would further solidify the country’s collective stance on addressing climate change. ###### ![picture2.jpg](/sites/g/files/omnuum6866/files/humanitarianinitiative/files/picture2.jpg) The House of Representatives of the Philippines has approved House Bill No. 9084 or the “Climate Change Resilience Act” in November 2023 | Background photo is AI-generated Moreover, a decade after the passage of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro and a year before the upcoming regional elections, current leaders in the BARMM hold a pivotal role in advancing peacebuilding and environmental conservation initiatives. This may be achieved, albeit partly, once they strengthen existing measures and develop new policies addressing the climate crisis and its compounding impacts. The academic, private, and civil society sectors also hold a crucial role in driving climate action forward. Leveraging their research acumen, the academia can produce knowledge that can further shape our understanding of resilience to climate impacts and support capacity-building initiatives in conflict-fragile communities. Simultaneously, the private sector can advance the green transition by investing in technologies and sustainable practices that reduce carbon emissions and environmental footprint. Lastly, non-governmental, humanitarian, and development actors are in a good position to facilitate grassroots engagement and ensure the sustainability of local climate action initiatives. However, an all-of-society approach is needed to address climate change and its cascading effects. **Gaps in programming** ###### ![picture3.jpg](/sites/g/files/omnuum6866/files/humanitarianinitiative/files/picture3.jpg) Representatives of INGOs, NGOs, UN agencies, local government units, and academic institutions share their insights on the climate-conflict-environment nexus in a small group discussion | Photo by MSU–IIT College of Arts and Social Sciences In a recent [workshop report](/publications/understanding-climate-conflict-and-environmental-impacts) by the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative and Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), experts suggest that direct and indirect impacts of climate change in the BARMM are felt firsthand by populations whose lives and livelihoods are dependent on the environment. Despite contributing minimally to global levels of climate change, marginalized groups such as Indigenous peoples (IPs), farmers, fisherfolk, women, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) disproportionately bear its consequences. Yet, these vulnerable populations are often left out of climate conversations. In the report, experts suggest that participation of affected communities in inclusive dialogue on climate change and adaptation has been impeded by jargon-heavy language. Their perspectives on these issues may just be our missing link in developing sustainable solutions for all. As such, climate action must take into account the experiences and priorities of these communities. **Climate action at the grassroots level** In an effort to engage communities in climate dialogue and action in the BARMM, we convened local civil society organization leaders in a virtual focus group discussion (FGD). One participant shared that local academic institutions conduct outreach to farming communities in the region to help farmers and fisherfolk increase their yield and improve their farm practices. They also gradually introduce climate change in their community dialogue since agriculture and fisheries are intricately linked with climate. The CSO leader further added that communities in the Province of Tawi-Tawi are now becoming more climate-conscious because they worry for their successor generations, whom they lovingly call “anak-apo”. “Is still there a chance for us to reverse the effects of climate change? What will happen to our *anak-apo* now?” These are some of the questions posed by the farmers to CSO leaders in the local language. According to the CSO leader, farmers also stress that “the environment and our resources now are just borrowed from the successor generation. Unless we change today, the next generations would not have sources of livelihoods, breathe fresh air, or harvest food from the forests and seas.” As a result, many communities and organizations in the BARMM have implemented local actions and integrated them into their programming. ###### ![Info Graphic](/sites/g/files/omnuum6866/files/humanitarianinitiative/files/picture4.jpg) Members of a conflict-affected community in the BARMM cut water hyacinths into smaller pieces for the production of organic liquid fertilizer | Photo by one of the FGD participants An organization has introduced an agricultural innovation in flood-prone communities, wherein water hyacinths are turned into bio-liquid fertilizer. The practice not only removes plants that block waterways, it also provides farmers some free agricultural resources that they can use to improve soil fertility once rain-induced flooding subsides. Meanwhile, some youth organizations encourage the practice of bringing one’s reusables in all of their capacity-building and community engagement initiatives to gradually eliminate single-use plastics. This practice has since spread and been adopted by other communities. Another CSO leader noted that local community members may feel resistant to the local solutions being introduced. However, some embrace these practices as they witness tangible advantages – less solid waste in sight and relatively shorter flood duration, for instance. Once integrated into the community’s collective consciousness, such local actions will build rapport and trust among members and leaders alike. It may even lessen the likelihood of conflict, the CSO leaders said. **Complementing local efforts** At the individual level, more and more Filipinos are concerned about climate change, acknowledging that it could endanger their physical and mental health, according to a [recent survey](https://www.sws.org.ph/swsmain/artcldisppage/?artcsyscode=ART-20240222063121&mc_cid=c27bb59366&mc_eid=1eeee26a57) of the Social Weather Stations (SWS). As a result, they engage more in online forums and take steps to reduce their personal carbon footprint, the CSO leaders shared. These local initiatives and efforts underscore the Filipinos’ increasing eagerness to participate in climate action, which top-level actors should complement. Indeed, climate change has a multiplier effect. It exacerbates existing vulnerabilities leading to displacement, local conflicts, environmental degradation, and deaths, among others. Conversely, so does climate action although it demands a decisive approach from those in power and a united front from communities and groups. And in our collective action, empowerment of local communities to participate in climate and disaster resilience dialogue, programming, and policy is a must. *The author would like to thank Sittie Noffaisah B. Pasandalan, MA, Assistant Dean of the College of Arts and Social Sciences at MSU-IIT, for organizing and facilitating the FGD for this article.* *For more climate change and disaster resilience-related content, follow the HHI’s Program on Resilient Communities on:* [*Facebook*](https://www.facebook.com/HHIResilientCommunities) *|* [*LinkedIn*](https://www.linkedin.com/company/hhi-resilient-communities) *|* [*X*](https://twitter.com/HHIResilience) *|* [*Instagram*](https://www.instagram.com/hhiresilientcommunities) *and subscribe to the Program’s* [*mailing list*](https://bit.ly/HHIsubs)*.* See also:- [ Program on Resilient Communities ](/research-program/program-resilient-communities) Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)