Marina, GGGI boost green agenda
THE Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation on green growth initiatives in the maritime industry.
The MoU aligns with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Climate Agreement to enhance cooperation on green growth initiatives in the maritime industry.
Both parties committed to exchange knowledge and promote effective decarbonization strategies, supporting Marina’s commitment to energy efficiency and compliance with international marine environment protection agreements.
GGGI Country Representative Marcel Silvius and Marina Administrator Sonia Malaluan led the signing ceremony attended by representatives from both organizations. Malaluan thanked GGGI’s initiative in pursuing cooperation with the agency on green growth amid the imperative of decarbonization, emphasizing the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, align with the IMO’s GHG Strategy, and highlight the necessity of collaborative efforts to address the significant challenges posed by climate change.
“We must collaborate on green growth; the challenges of climate change are too great for any country or organization to tackle alone,” she said.
Silvius said he looks forward to more opportunities for collaboration with Marina. He emphasized that beyond signing an MoU, real collaboration involves the meeting of minds and brainstorming on how both parties could move forward.
“We are here to support your program, ideas, and vision on green growth. We will push or pull a little bit and perhaps bring forth fresh and new ideas and innovation in the process,” he said.
He expressed his support for more collaboration as a result of the approved Maritime Industry Development Plan (MIDP). He noted that blue carbon could play a role in making the maritime industry thrive and can set the industry toward net zero emissions.
The MoU outlines joint initia- tives, research projects and policy recommendations to support the Philippines’ transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient maritime industry.