The Global Report is a comprehensive assessment based on a set of data prepared by over 20 organizations both within and outside the United Nations system including The World Bank and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The results have been uneven and mixed, as insecurity and instability in conflict and post-conflict countries make long-term development efforts extremely difficult. With carbon dioxide emissions rising from 23 billion metric tons in 1990 to 29 billion metric tons in 2004, environmental sustainability remains to be a laggard in terms of progress and coverage.

The Philippines Midterm Progress Report on the MDG’s indicated that the country is likely to meet the MDG targets on poverty, nutrition, child mortality, HIV/AIDS, malaria, and access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation having met the midterm indicators as reported by NEDA. However, there is a need to double or triple efforts to meet the targets on primary education, maternal mortality ratio and access to reproductive health services. Sustainable access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities were considered as targets/indicators for meeting the MDG goal on environmental sustainability. While the country has a sound environmental policy, environmental sustainability remains the least funded, at less than one percent of the total national budget, as noted in the report.

The report specifically mentions Executive Order 553 adopting the Integrated Coastal Management approach as one of the recent efforts to ensure sustainable management of the country’s coastal and marine environment. Initiatives of the Manila Bay Environmental Management Project (MBEMP) such as the implementation of the Manila Bay Oil Spill Contingency Plan and Integrated Environmental Monitoring Program, wherein PEMSEA is directly involved were also highlighted.

For more information on Philippines MDG Midterm Progress Report, visit http://www.undp.org.ph/?link=news&news_id=118 or http://www.neda.gov.ph/econreports_dbs/MDGs/default.asp.