esr MERRCWNTATINIES

RECEIVED

, 12 Jul 2016
THe

H CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC +)
OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

REGISTRATION UNIT

HOUSE OF Rept ENTATIV
BILLS AND INDEX SERVICE

H.No. 14)

Introduced by Representative Herminio Harry L. Rog

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Constitution, Article 2, Section 16 provides;
The State shall protect and advance the right of the people to a

balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of
nature

Despite a slowdown in the rate of global population growth, the world’s population is

growing and is expected to peak at nine billion people in 2050, up from 6.6 billion in
2006. These shifts are placing greater pressure on resources and are contributing directly and
indirectly to the rising emissions linked to climate change and the resulting consequences for
the environment. Recent studies indicate that climate change is occurring faster than
expected. Without resolute action we could face irreversible changes to the climate.' If
emissions continue to rise at the rate of the past 30 years, atmospheric concentrations will

increase to 700 ppm or more, corresponding to global average temperatures of +6°C or more

by 2050.2 Even if we stopped emitting greenhouse gases altogether, the effects of global

warming are now unavoidable, For these reasons, societies will need to adapt to the

unavoidable consequences of climate change

Global Risks 2009, Global Risk Network, World Eeonomie Forum, 2009.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2007 4th report: World Enerey Outlook, Intern
Energy Agency 2008,

1


Importantly, developing nati

ns face the worst consequences because they

are more
vulnerable to the physical effects of climate change than developed nations. Weather-related
disasters disproportionately affect the agricultural sector in least developed countries where
most farmers have only limited access to financial means such as microcredit and insurance
solutions.’ The Philippines is considered a climate change hot spot vulnerable to sea-level
, eyelone:

ris and storm surges which threaten social and economie stability, particularly in

densely populated urban centers such as Metro Manila.’ This high vulnerability is due to its

location, high population density, high ecological sensitivity, and low adaptive capacity. The
twin typhoons and accompanying floods that wreaked havoc in the Philippines recently are
clear manifestations of the high vulnerability of the country to climate change.*

Households exert an important influence on total greenhouse gas emissions. Their
consumption behavior is of interest in evaluations of climate policy options and projections
of future emission paths.* It has been estimated that household consumption of consumer

goods accounts for emissions of about one-third of total household emissions. Responding to

the climate change challenge therefore necessitates that existing environmental laws (e.g.

Eeological Solid Waste Management Act, Clean Air Act, ete), urban plan

ing regulations,
and other relevant laws be fully implemented to complement the Climate Change Act of
2009. The United Nations itself recognizes the need to promote innovation, clean energy,
energy efficiency, and conservation and to accelerate the deployment of cleaner

technologies.”

id
Climate Change and Migration in Asia and the Pacific, University of Adetaid
Bank, 2009
Francisco, Going Beyond the Map: What is next in the Climate Change Challenge for the Philippines
Economy and Environment Program for Southeast Asia, International Development Research Centre
Singapore. 2009,
Girod and de Haan, More or Betier? A Model for Changes in Household Greenhouse Gas Emissions due to
Higher Income, Journal of Industrial Ecology. Volume 14, Issue 1, Yale University, 2010.
2005 World Summit Outcome of the United Nations General Assembly.

2

et al, Asian Development



‘This bill requires the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to develop
and implement a program for the voluntary assessment, verification, and standardized

labeling of the carbon footprint of consumer products. Consumer choice

play a key role

in helping reduce the greenhouse gas emissions on a national scale, but only if consumers

have usable and reliable information about the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from their

product choices. The Department should identify the best approach to standardizing product
labeling to help businesses and to provide accurate information to consumers. The

emissions are already

methodological and technical challenges of measuring greenhouse g

be

ng addressed by researchers across the world. Converting these measurement methods into
a viable, practical greenhouse gas emission label involves crafting a compromise solution that

is accurate and precise, as well as feasible for producers to implement. The development of a

voluntary carbon or greenhouse gas emissions labeling program for consumer products can

harness the power of the marketplace to create incentives for manufacturers to innovate and

qt

HERMINIO HARRY L. ROQUE JR.

compete to reduce the carbon footprint of their products.

This bill was originally filed by Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago during the Fifteenth Con}
Regular Session,


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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC)
OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
H.No,

Introduced by Representative Hermino Harry L. Roque Jr

AN ACT
REQUIRING THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO
DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM FOR THE VOLUNTARY ASSESSMENT,
VERIFICATION, AND STANDARDIZED LABELING OF THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF
CONSUMER PRODUCTS

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled.
SECTION |. Short Title. ~ This Act shall be known as the “Carbon Footprint Information

Act.”

SECTION 2, Declaration of Policy. tis the policy of the State to afford full protection
and the advancement of the right of the people to a healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm
and harmony of nature. In this light, the State has adopted the Philippine Agenda 21 framework
which espouses sustainable development to fulfill human needs while maintaining the quality of
the natural environment for current and future generations

As a party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the State
adopts the ultimate objective of the Convention which is the stabilization of greenhouse gas
concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic

interference with the climate system which should be achieved within a time frame sufficient to
allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not

threatened, and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms, ~ As used in this Act, the term—


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(a) “consumer products" means goods which are primarily for personal, family,
household, or agricultural purposes, which shall include but are not limited to food, drugs.
cosmetics, and devices;

(b) “carbon footprint" means the total amount of emissions of greenhouse gas, which
occurs as a result of a product's life cycle, or as determined by the Department to best implement
this Acts

(c) “greenhouse gases” refers to those gases that can potentially or can reasonably be

expected 10 induce global warming, which include carbon dioxide, oxides of nitrogen,

chloroflourocarbons, and the like: and

(d) "Department" means the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

SECTION 4. Carbon Footprint Information Program. ~ (a) The Department shall

develop and implement a program for the voluntary assessment, verification, and labeling of the

carbon footprint of consumer products, In order to create this program, the Department shall
establish standard methodologies for assessing, verifying, and labeling the carbon footprint of a

consumer product, The Department shall only include a product category in a standard if it

determines that it is feasible and practical to do so. It may choose to adopt a methodology for a
single product category before expanding the scope of the adopted standard to other product
categories.

(b) ‘The program shall do both of the following:

(1) Allow a consumer product manufacturer, on a voluntary basis, to determine the
carbon footprint of the product by applying the criteria and standards developed by
the Department, and to include that information on the product, product packaging,
and product advertising, consistent with the labeling standards developed by the
Department;

(2) Develop a standardized, easily understandable label that communicates to

consumers relevant information about the carbon footprint of a consumer product.


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The label may be issued to a company that meets all of the obligations of the
adopted standard for measuring a product's carbon footprint.

(©) The Department may use data from outside sources to develop the standards
required to be created by this Act, including the use of existing models and labels. The
Department may consult with representatives of consumer product manufacturers, consumer
groups, and environmental groups, and conduct public hearings and workshops, to inform the

development of the standards required to be established pursuant to this Act

(4) The Department may develop a hybrid life cycle analysis methodology standard

by relying on company measurements of energy us

, other greenhouse gas emission sources, and
national averages, or other available information for determining the carbon footprint.

(c) The Department shall determine the appropri

\e boundaries in determining and

assessing the carbon footprint of a consumer product, which may include raw material

extraction, production processing or manufacturing, transportati
and disposal. The Department may vary these boundaries by product category.

(If the Department determines that feasible measurement methodologies are not
sufficiently accurate to allow for direct comparisons of the carbon footprint of two like products
within a product category, it may elect to develop standards for communicating all of the
following:

(1) The average greenhouse gas emissions in a product category in order to allow

consumers to compare across categories;

(2) Whether a product has a lower carbon footprint than the average comparable

product available in that category;

(3) A specific carbon footprint score that delineates the range of error produced by

the methodology.

SECTION 5. Third-Party Verification, ~ The Department may adopt standardized criteria

for third-party verification of the carbon footprint of a consumer product, if it determines that


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this kind of verification is necessary, or the Department may develop an alternative means of

ensuring compliance with the labeling standards created pursuant to this Act.

SECTION 6. Costs of Review and Validation, - Consumer product manufacturers that
label their products in accordance with this chapter shall be responsible for all costs related to the
review and validation of carbon label information required by the department. The Department
may charge an application fee to participating consumer product manufacturers to pay the costs

of the program established pursuant to this Act

SECTION 7. Separability Clause. ~ If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain

valid and subsisting,

SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive

order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent

with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.

SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause, ~ This Act shall take effect fifleen (15) days after its

publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,