The Philippines is an archipelago comprised of 7,107 islands (1,000 of which are inhabitable), with a humid climate and a topography characterized by mountainous terrain bordered by narrow coastal plains. Considered one of the most biologically rich and diverse countries in the world, the Philippines also has one of the world’s longest coastlines, and its marine and coastal resources yield US$3.5 billion annually in goods and services. The country’s mineral, oil, gas, and geothermal potential are also significant. The Philippines’ main economic sectors are agriculture and industry, with agriculture contributing 14% of gross domestic product and employing over a third of the population. The Philippines is also considered to be among the world’s most disaster-prone countries. Commonly occurring hazards include floods, droughts, typhoons, landslides and mudslides, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. Recent decades have witnessed an increase in damaging extreme events, such as heavy rainfall and tropical cyclone activity, and this trend is expected to continue under a changing climate.

The Climate Change Act was passed in 2009 and amended in 2012 to form the Climate Change Commission (CCC), responsible for policy development and coordination in the Philippines. Important strategy documents include the National Framework Strategy on Climate Change (2010) and the National Climate Change Action Plan (2011), which sets out policies related to food and water security, environmental stability, human security, climate smart industries and services, sustainable energy, and knowledge and capacity development. The Philippines ratified the Paris Agreement on March 23, 2017 and its Nationally Determined Contribution can be found here.