Gov. Emilio Macias II said yesterday he is eyeing the implementation of a new environmental strategy to reduce the level of carbon emissions in Negros Oriental.

At a recent meeting held at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Session Hall, Macias discussed the carbon credit scheme introduced by highly industrialized countries, in order to decrease carbon emission.

Under the scheme, the governor said he plans to develop the mangroves along the coastal areas in the province. Mangroves are known to absorb more carbon than other trees, Macias said.

The carbon credit scheme is in line with the Clean Development Mechanism, which was outlined in the United Nations Protocols on Global Warming, specifically the Montreal Protocol signed in 1987 and the succeeding Kyoto Protocol in 1992.

Both protocols mandated highly-industrialized countries to reduce the level of the carbon emissions from their industries by five percent from the level established in their countries in 1990. These countries were given five years to do the same starting this year up to 2012, Macias said.

This means that if these countries had a 10 percent carbon emission in 1990, it should be cut down to 5 percent by 2012.

Based on records, Australia was the last to sign the protocol leaving the USA as the only identified country that has a high carbon emission and has yet to sign the said protocol.

The governor described the carbon credit scheme as beneficial to the Negros Oriental Advisory Council on Climate Change drive in addressing the concerns of climate change.

Macias explained that highly industrialized countries that have a hard time lowering their carbon emission can tap developing countries like the Philippines by providing them with funds to plant trees.

For instance, a highly developed country like the USA can fund tree-planting activities in the Philippines, an undertaking that will be credited to the United States and help bring down its carbon emission, he added.

At present, Australia is reportedly interested in adopting the scheme in Negros Oriental.

The governor said he already had initial discussions with an Australian official concerning the scheme.*RG

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