CLEAN AIR ISSUES The Philippine Experience

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CLEAN AIR ISSUESThe Philippine Experience

• Dr. Nereus Acosta, Congressman
• House of Representatives
• Principal Author, 1999 Philippine Clean Air Act

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OVERVIEW

• 12-year gestation of Philippine Clean Air Act
  (filed in 1988 enacted 1999) one of the most
  stringent clean air laws in Asia (Euro/EPA
  standards, complete phase-out of leaded gasoline,
  desulphurization of diesel, ban on direct
  incineration)
• Underfunded (unfunded) Mandate Environment
  Management Bureau no real capacity to implement
  law ADB assistance (MMAQIF)
• Metro Manila 14 million people, 3.5 million
  vehicles (source of 75 percent of air pollution),
  one of the five most polluted mega-cities in the
  world, 200k plus two-stroke tricycles/motorcycles
  in secondary roads
• Cultural/Political hardware/ Widespread
  Poverty, Wealth Disparities/ Institutional
  Weaknesses hamper implementation Demo-Crazy,
  traffic as metaphor

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INFORMATION

• SCIENTIFIC/ TECHNICAL DATA STANDARDS,
  BENCHMARKING
• BASELINE STUDIES, CASE STUDIES
• SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ANALYSES (demographic trends,
  health implications)
• ENVIROMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENTS/COST-BENEFIT
  ANALYSIS
• MONITORING, MODELING, SIMULATION
• VERIFICATION

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Problems/Pitfalls --- Promise/ProspectsFIVE
Is

• INFORMATION
• INFRASTRUCTURE
• INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
• INSTRUMENTS
• IDEOLOGY
• Need for INTEGRATED APPROACH

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INFRASTRUCTURE

• ROAD SYSTEMS diversion, circumferential roads
  around metropolis, road maintenance
  (flyover/overpass complex)
• TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, RAPID BUS TRANSIT,
  INTELLIGENT TRANSPORT SYSTEMS, NMT, new
  technologies (minimal focus),
• DECONGESTION PLANS -- TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT (MMDA
  limitations)
• EMISSIONS TESTING, STATE-OF-THE-ART
  EQUIPMENT/TECHNOLOGY (only private Manila
  Observatory has such)

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INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORKS

• POLICY MEASURES LAND USE, ENERGY USE,
  ECOSYSTEMS MANAGEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL POLCIES
• LINKAGES, COORDINATION OF AGENCIES ENVIRONMENT,
  ENERGY, TRADE-INDUSTRY, TRANSPORTATION-COMMUNICATI
  ON HEALTH, EDUCATION (schools, academe)
• PRIVATE-PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS (NGO, SECTORAL
  COORDINATION Bantay Usok anti-smoke-belching
  run by NGO-media groups)
• CAPABILITY/CAPACITY-BUILDING, FUNDING
• ENFORCEMENT ISSUES, OVERSIGHT FUNCTIONS OF
  CONGRESS FEASIBILITY

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INSTRUMENTS

• MARKET-BASED INTRUMENTALITIES PRICING/TAXING,
  INCENTIVIZATION
• COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS/ COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS
• INTERVENTIONS CONGESTION-PRICING (?),
  REGULATORY-ECONOMIC TOOLS (e.g., ban on
  second-hand vehicle/buses importation, two-stroke
  engines phasing-out)
• ECONOMICS OF ENVIRONMENTALISM poverty, equity
  vis-a-vis efficiency/growth equations (mass
  protests of tricycle/bus owners)

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IDEOLOGY

• POLITICAL WILL CONTINUITY QUESTION
  (administration to administration short-term vs
  to long-term)
• GOVERNANCE, CORRUPTION ISSUES (weak state)
  SOCIAL TRUST (are implementing rules, systems
  trusted? rigged testing)
• COMMITMENT TO CLEAN AIR/ ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
  AS OFFICIAL THRUST (not mentioned in State of
  the Nation addresses)
• WIDER ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOR PUBLIC, MEDIA
  OUTREACH
• COURT SYSTEMS/JUDICIAL INVOLVEMENT CIVIL SUITS,
  LEGAL RECOURSES, PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IN
  ENVIRONMENTAL DECISIONS (double-edged abused?
  too politicized?)

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INTEGRATED APPROACHES

• SOUND ANALYSIS (context, constraints, challenges
  relative impacts in different cultural,
  demographic, economic and political
  circumstances understanding sustainability in
  fuller environmental, economic and social terms)
• COMPETENT LEADERSHIP
• EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION, INNOVATION, ADAPTATION