Climate Change Commission and Nestlé PH partner to discover sustainability-focused solutions for the planet, from the youth

Around the world, the impacts of climate change are already being felt across all sectors. It is evident in the occurrence of more frequent and severe weather events, the rise of sea levels, and the continuous increase in global temperatures, among many others that in turn, threaten many crucial aspects of our lives including food security and biodiversity.

Unfortunately, these effects are only bound to worsen over the next few decades according to a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released last August. Human activities that result in greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere are still viewed as one of the main drivers of the climate crisis.

Department of Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III gives his remarks during the event and congratulated both Nestlé Philippines and the Climate Change Commission for bringing bright young minds into the fold of tackling the climate crisis

Given the current situation, the need to rethink our development approaches and incorporate sustainability principles in our strategies and plans has never been more urgent. Taking on this challenge and in line with its commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, Nestlé Philippines has partnered with the Climate Change Commission, the agency spearheading the government’s climate change initiatives, for a joint project called “Klimathon: Our Race Towards a Net-Zero Reality.”

With the goal to empower the youth to develop and implement meaningful climate actions to address climate change issues, the Klimathon provides a platform for Filipino youth to spur the development of innovative and sustainability-focused solutions. Participants are asked to develop creative solutions among the following pillars: tackling plastic problems; lowering greenhouse gas emissions; and improving food security.

Nestlé Philippines Chairman and CEO Kais Marzouki speaks on the importance of empowering the youth to join the fight against climate change

“Half of the world’s population consists of the youth. The Philippines today has the largest generation of young people in its history, comprising 28% of our population. Those of you who are young, who are here today, have a crucial and necessary role in tackling climate change. The Klimathon is a creative platform for you to participate in climate action, to help ensure a livable future on the planet that you will inherit,” said Kais Marzouki, Chairman and CEO of Nestlé Philippines.

In his keynote message, Sec. De Guzman shares how CCC champions climate solutions through partnerships and youth engagements and recognizes Nestlé PH for championing the path to sustainability

“It is imperative to work with all sectors – including the youth – in taking a whole of government and whole of society approach in view of intergenerational responsibility. Their future will be paved by the actions we take today,” said Secretary Emmanuel De Guzman of the Climate Change Commission.

Ms. Nazrin Camille Castro, Branch Manager of The Climate Reality Project Philippines delivers a message of support for the joint initiative of gathering and empowering the youth sector through these innovation hubs focused on climate change action

Participating teams of Filipino students and young professionals will each present a project concept paper based on one of the three focus pillars. From there, 10 finalists will undergo a mentorship program with industry and field experts to refine and further develop their project design. Cash prizes and recognition await the winning teams.

Ms. Arlene Tan-Bantoto (right), SVP and Head of Corporate Affairs, Communications and Sustainability at Nestlé Philippines (representing Kais Marzouki) and Sec. Emmanuel De Guzman (left) of the Climate Change Commission lead the document signing.

Submission of proposals for Klimathon: Our Race Towards a Net-Zero Reality is now open until November 10, 2021, 11:59 PM. Interested participants can head on over to Nes.tl/Klimathon or the Climate Change Commission’s website to view the full competition mechanics and how they can join. You may also check out CCC’s and Nestlé Philippines’ social media pages for more details and updates.