As the Philippines pushes to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030, businesses are being challenged to turn their net zero pledges into concrete action. At the upcoming Philippine Net Zero Conference 2025 in Taguig, Philippines, corporate leaders, policymakers, and advocates will gather to discuss how to move beyond climate ambition and implement measurable decarbonization strategies.
The stakes are high. The country loses an estimated Php 200 billion every year to climate-related disasters, with agriculture and fisheries among the most vulnerable sectors. For farmers in Bicol, the crisis is already here.
In Canaman, Camarines Sur, saltwater intrusion regularly damages crops when the Bicol River turns salty during dry months. “If it doesn’t rain for just a month, the river becomes unusable for irrigation,” said barangay councilor Rudy Nuñez, in an interview published by BicolDotPh on March 20, 2025. Typhoons, too, wreak havoc. Local farmer Frankie Bolocon, quoted in the same report, explained: “When a typhoon hits, we barely have any income because our rice yield rots.”
Recent data confirms the toll. According to a BicolDotPh article on March 25, 2025, palay production in the region dropped by 0.72% in 2024 compared to the previous year, with yields per hectare also falling nearly 0.9%. The decline was attributed to heavy flooding from typhoons Christine and Pepito, underscoring how climate impacts are eroding local food security.
Bridging Local Realities and National Policy
The conference, co-organized by the Net Zero Carbon Alliance (NZCA) and Southeast Asia Corporate Decarbonization Exchange (CDx), is expected to highlight the Low Carbon Economy Investment Act, which proposes a cap-and-trade system for emissions. Advocates say the bill could incentivize companies to cut pollution while raising funds for adaptation projects through a Climate Reinvestment Fund.
But beyond legislation, communities are innovating on their own. Farmers in Camarines Sur, according to BicolDotPh’s March 20, 2025 feature, have begun shifting planting schedules, adopting saline-resistant rice varieties like NSIC Rc480, and using tools such as electric conductivity meters to monitor water salinity. These adaptive practices—often supported by training programs like PhilRice’s PalayCheck system—demonstrate how local knowledge and technology can combine to build resilience.
Turning Ambition Into Action
For businesses, the challenge is to align climate targets with realities on the ground. “We need to turn best practices into common practices,” said Jerome Cainglet, president of Energy Development Corporation, which is part of NZCA. Sustainability advocates argue that net zero should not only reduce corporate emissions but also support communities like Bicol’s farmers who are already struggling with the front-line impacts of climate change.
By anchoring net zero commitments in the realities faced by farmers and other vulnerable groups, businesses can help ensure that climate action delivers both economic and social resilience. The conference aims to set that tone—encouraging partnerships that make climate strategies more inclusive and effective on the ground.
