The need to address the effects of climate change on coastal communities has brought together science agencies from the Philippines, Japan, and the United Kingdom to build sustainable coastal communities in Southeast Asia.
The Japan Science and Technology (JST) Agency, the United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI), and the Philippines’ Department of Science and Technology (DOST) have initiated crafting a framework to fund research studies that are focused on resolving global challenges that were being addressed by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda.
The collaboration among these three countries will cover research funding, people, equipment, data, and other resources.
Dr. Enrico Paringit, Executive Director of DOST-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) emphasized the collaboration of the three countries should be beneficial to the coastal communities that are facing threats of climate change.
“Having a multi-lateral approach to support research initiatives is a way for us to optimize resources. There are research resources available in other countries that may be beneficial in the implementation of research projects here in the Philippines,” Dr. Paringit said in the DOST report sent to Good News Pilipinas.
The focus of the multi-lateral cooperation is on the sustainable coastal communities where several projects in the Southeast Asian region are identified with thematic topics that are focused on: water, coastal communities, and aquaculture — that are relevant to the SDGs.
The multi-funder cooperation framework crafted by JST, UKRI, and DOST is anticipated to take effect in the following years.
Climate change risk assessment is also the focus of a partnership between the World Wildlife Fund for Nature and the Bank of the Philippine Islands Foundation.
Another DOST project has Balik-Scientist Grantee Robotics Engineer Dr. Rodrigo Jamisola working with the engineering faculties of Rizal Technological University (RTU) and Batangas State University (BatSU) to build underwater research drones intended for surveys of the Pasig River, the Philippine Rise, and the Verde Island Passage.
SEND cheers in the comments below to the three science agencies for embarking on a collaboration to build climate change-resilient coastal communities!
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