MANILA – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will accept until Nov. 15 this year photo entries for its "Mga Kwentong KLIMA-likasan: A Photoblog Competition" for 15 to 21-year-old Filipinos nationwide.
The entries must show individual's and communities' behavior changes that help create a healthy environment and boost the fight against climate change, noted staffer Kathleen Cornejo from DENR's Climate Change Service which is running the competition.
"We recognize behavior change's impact on curbing climate change," she said.
She said riding bikes instead of cars and composting leaves instead of burning these are some of the behavior changes people can do to contribute towards such goal.
The transport sector and burning are among sources of carbon dioxide which is one of the greenhouse gases (GHGs) fueling climate change, DENR noted.
GHG emissions accumulate in the atmosphere and trap heat so global temperature rises, changing climate.
DENR noted people's collective shift to environment-friendly activities helps mitigate GHG emissions.
"Climate change needs behavior change," it said.
Earlier, international organization Rare identified 30 behavioral changes or solutions that can mitigate around 20 percent to 37 percent of global GHG emissions during the 2020-2050 period.
Aside from biking and composting, Rare said those solutions include reducing food waste, cleaning stoves, inter-cropping or growing trees and annual crops together, taking public transportation, using energy-efficient lighting as well as recycling paper, metal, plastic and glass materials.
Parties interested in joining 'Mga Kwentong KLIMA-likasan' competition can send their entries as well as corresponding entry forms and proof of their age to [email protected] and [email protected], said DENR.
"Each contestant must submit a maximum of three photos in his/her entry," DENR continued.
Those photos must be related to each other, DENR project development officer Micah de Leon clarified.
Entries must be the participants' original works that have never been published in social and print media.
The submitted photos must not contain any copyrighted material including artwork and other photos, the DENR noted.
The DENR will announce the competition's winners during the annual National Climate Change Consciousness Week observance this November.
De Leon noted entries for the competition will be part of DENR's Climate Change Needs Behavior Change campaign.
She said DENR will also use the entries in its other advocacy programs. According to DENR, the competition's major prize is PHP5,000. DENR will also award nine consolation prizes of PHP2,000 each.
The public can contact the DENR regarding the competition's other details. Relatives of DENR Climate Change Service personnel up to the second level of consanguinity are not eligible to join the competition, the agency said. (PNA)
