A GRADUATE of the Master of Laws program of the University’s Graduate School of Law has filed a proposal seeking to establish a legal framework for determining the true cost of carbon emissions in the Philippines.

Atty. Gay Christine Cortes-Lopez’s research-based pitch aims to provide both scientific and legal grounds for pricing carbon emissions, positioning it as a key tool in addressing climate change, particularly in vulnerable countries such as the Philippines.

Cortes-Lopez said the proposed measure aligns with global commitments, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on clean energy, economic growth, and sustainable industry and infrastructure.

The proposal also calls for multi-sectoral education campaigns to raise public awareness on the impacts of carbon emissions and the urgency of climate action.

Lopez, who is currently pursuing her Doctor of Civil Law degree, developed the proposal under the mentorship of Atty. Manuel Peter Solis, PhD, a climate law and governance expert.

When she submitted the bill to the Senate, Lopez was accompanied by Graduate School of Law officials led by Dean Atty. Jacqueline O. Lopez-Kaw, Regent Fr. Dexter A. Austria, and Secretary Leidy May Alnajes.