by Philippines News Agency September
6, 2016
Catbalogan City, Samar
— The city government here presented one of the major planned projects in the
Seoul Mayors Forum on Climate Change 2016.
“My big appreciation to
International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) and Seoul
City Government for this opportunity given to me and the city to showcase one
of the big projects that we will be undertaking within the Maqueda and Irong
Irong Bays of Catbalogan,” Uy-Tan said in an interview.
Participating in the
forum held on Sept. 1 to 2 in Seoul, South Korea were mayors from 40 cities in
the world, including 19 mayors and deputy mayors headed by Seoul Mayor Park Won
Soon.
The mayor of Samar’s
capital discussed future adoption of the city on an Ecosystem Approach to
Fisheries Management (EAFM) by pioneering tidal energy power generation in the
Philippines.
In a statement, the
mayor explained that tidal energy or tidal power is a form of hydropower that
converts the energy of tides into electricity. Special buoys, turbines, and
other technologies capture the power of waves and tides and convert it into
clean and pollution-free electricity.
Most common
technologies for tidal energy today, according to Uy-Tan, can be classified
into three main categories: In-Stream Devices that use of the kinetic energy of
moving water to power turbines, in a similar way as windmills use moving air;
Barrages and structures like dams across the full width of a tidal estuary – or
the mouth of a river that has a free-flowing connection to the ocean and Tidal
lagoons similar to barrages but can be constructed as self-contained structures
not extending fully across an estuary.
The project can also be
used to make the local fishing industry more vibrant and address problem on
over fishing by eco-system approach.
“Why eco-system
approach? Because it’s integrated approach balances human and ecological
well-being. It allows for a more effective planning and it increases
stakeholder’s participation,” Uy-Tan explained during the presentation.
The project will also
allow ordinary fishermen and residents of Catbalogan to venture into
aqua-culture that has smaller carbon footprint unlike other livelihood such as
livestock production.
“This will result in
economic growth for those who belong to the marginalized sector, ensure food
security and promote mariculture for fisher folk,” the mayor explained.
The Seoul Mayors Forum
on Climate Change 2016 highlighted many ways in which cities can scale up their
ambitions, such as through sustainable procurement.
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