The Government of the Philippines, through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) received a grant from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to implement the project “Strengthening Coordination for Effective Environmental Management (StrEEM)”. The project aims to generate global environmental benefits through improved coordination with respect to the implementation of cross-cutting issues within Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) in the country.

Specifically the project will look into the issues and concerns that restrain effective implementation of the three Rio Conventions namely United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD), United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)).

The project STREEM will address the above issue through a series of consultation and coordination activities at the national level down to the local level. Project started last June 2009 and completion date is June 2012.

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines—Storms carrying winds of at least 300 kph, like Supertyphoon “Yolanda,” are likely to be “the norm for the Philippines” as a result of climate change, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said, echoing findings made by a panel of climate experts submitted to the United Nations.

MANILA - Some leaders of nongovernmental organizations in the Philippines advancing environmental causes find the government's climate change mitigation and adaption programs wanting even after the country suffered massive devastation from the wrath of super typhoon "Yolanda" (Haiyan) five months ago.