The Mines and Geosciences Bureau recently participated in the first Knowledge Exchange Workshop on Ecosystem Accounts under the Philippine Wealth Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services (Phil-WAVES) Project.
The WAVES Project is a trust-funded partnership between the Government of the Philippines and the World Bank that is aimed at promoting sustainable development through wealth accounting. It is focused on the value of natural capital and integration of "green accounting" in more conventional development planning analysis.
The Project was based on a 360 Capacity Support approach tested by the World Bank designed to provide comprehensive capacity development assistance to developing countries. The approach intends to collaborate closely with the government counterparts and include three distinct components in capacity diagnostic, action learning, and facilitation of reports.
The workshop activities were presented, facilitated, and moderated by speakers Prof. Dr. Lars Hein (University of Wageningen); Michael Vardon (Australian National University); Kenneth Bagstad (United States Geological Survey); Josh Power (Australian Bureau of Statistics); and Ms. Sofia Ahlroth (WAVES Secretariat).
The event was attended by representatives from the eight WAVES countries and India Including Botswana, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Indonesia, Madagascar, Rwanda, and Philippines.
Philippine delegates included representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), National Economic Development Authority, Philippine Statistical Authority, the Phil-WAVES Technical Working Group (TWG) for Southern Palawan and Laguna Lake Development Authority. The DENR Central Office, National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, Philippine Council for Sustainable Development, Philippine Environment and Natural Resources Office-DENR, and DENR Bureaus including the MGB, compose the Phil-WAVES TWG for Southern Palawan.
Ms. Erlina Tambasen of the Mineral Economics, Information and Publications Division, represented the MGB in this pioneering event hosted by the Philippines from February 23 to 27 2015 at the SEARCA, Los Baños, Laguna.
By: Mineral Economics, Information and Publications Division