GenSan to assess greenhouse gas emissions of industries

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- The city government is set to conduct monitoring and survey on the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of various local industries and establishments.

Mayor Ronnel Rivera said Tuesday that they have partnered with the Mindanao State University (MSU) here for the conduct of GHG emission inventory at the entity and community levels.

Rivera said they signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday with MSU for the implementation of the project. The mayor signed the agreement for the local government while MSU was represented by Engr. Rener Tandugon of the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering department of the College of Agriculture.

"Agricultural engineering students from the university will conduct the survey and data gathering for the GHG emission inventory," he said in a report from the City Public Information Office.

Rivera said the project is being supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the ICLEI–Local Governments for Sustainability Southeast Asia Secretariat (SEAS).

The city is a recipient of USAID's Strengthening Urban Resilience for Growth with Equity or Surge project, a five-year USD47.8 million initiative that aims to further develop key growth areas outside of Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao.

USAID-Surge tapped ICLEI SEAS as a technical partner for climate change adaptation and mitigation programs, "specifically in terms of mainstreaming climate considerations in the city’s development planning."

Gemma Borreros, USAID-Surge project coordinator, said at least 400 establishments will be covered by the GHG inventory survey that includes tuna canning plants and related industries, fuel retailers or gas stations, and rural water sanitation associations.

"We will cover companies that are possible emitters of greenhouse gas," Borreros said.

ICLEI SEAS has been assisting the city in formulating its GHG emission inventory, both at the entity and community levels.

A team of technical personnel from the city government attended a workshop last April conducted by ICLEI SEAS "to introduce entity and community-level GHG inventory and determine data needs completion."

ICEI SEAS said that through the completion of the inventory, the city government "will be able to identify opportunities to decrease GHG emissions" by prescribing policies and strategies to priority sectors like transport, waste management, energy consumption, among others.

As part of the ongoing preparations for the inventory, which is targeted to begin by next month, an orientation was held on Monday for the GHG inventory enumerators and another orientation was set today (Tuesday) for the data providers. (PNA)