Oscar M. Lopez Center for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management Foundation, Inc.

The Center is built on the belief that no Filipino should face climate challenges unprepared. In arming them with up-to-date science and technology, we believe climate crises can be averted.

The Philippines has long been prone to extreme weather events, an unavoidable consequence of our geographic location. It has become clear, however, that our vulnerability to climate hazards is now being driven by factors other than just our place on the map. Over roughly the last half century, human-induced climate change has grown into a prominent threat, putting our ecosystems, livelihoods, and development prospects in jeopardy.

Climate science in the Philippines is still in its infancy. Though we have a well-trained cadre of researchers, we also have one of the lowest investments in research on a per capita basis when compared to the region’s other fast-developing nations.

That’s not to say that there are no efforts underway to address climate risks on the ground. In fact, billions of pesos have been allocated over the years by private groups, foreign donors, and the government to build the resilience of our communities. Yet there has been much less attention directed at the generation of scientific information—the knowledge that we require first to fully comprehend the climate problem, and then to bring about the innovative, sustainable, and evidence-based solutions we need.

Recognizing this gap, our founder and chairman emeritus Oscar M. Lopez established the Center in 2012. It was envisioned as an institution that would support the generation of the science and technology needed for building resilient communities.

Today, we strive to realize this goal by making sure relevant climate science cuts across sectors, rather than sitting unused on a bookshelf. We aim to work closely with the decision-makers of business and policy, the groups with the greatest capacity for sustained climate action. We give them the information and the tools they need to make climate-smart risk management decisions.