PH to support 2016 Paris Agreement, rejects participation in conferences
Published Jun 5, 2019 06:00 pm
By Roy Mabasa
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Wednesday said he is rejecting all official Philippine participation in climate change conferences abroad as the country is poised to vote “yes” on radical proposals in support to the 2016 Paris Agreement.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. (FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN)
“Following (President) Duterte ‘s answer to UN’s (United Nations) plea for yet another stronger stand against climate change—which he branded as more hot air—I am rejecting all official participation in climate change conferences requiring air travel. We’ll just vote Yes to radical proposals. No more talk,” Locsin said in a tweet.
Locsin’s statement came in an apparent response to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ warning that countries are not living up to their commitments under the 2016 Paris Agreement to keep the global temperature rise to below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, he said.
"Climate change is running faster than what we are ... The last four years have been the hottest registered," Guterres told the media during his recent visit in New Zealand.
In July 2017, the Philippine Senate voted unanimously to ratify the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and joined 133 other parties representing more than 80 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
The Philippines, known to be one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to extreme weather conditions, ratified the international pact four months earlier than previously expected.
It was noted that at least 60 percent of the total land area of the Philippines is exposed to multiple hazards, leaving 74 percent of the population vulnerable.
Aimed to limit global warming, the Paris Agreement came into force globally on November 4, 2016. The Philippines has committed to cut its carbon emissions by 70 percent by 2030.
Manila’s road to the Paris Climate Conference (COP21) started when the Call to Action on Climate Change was launched during the state visit of French President François Hollande in the Philippines in February 2015.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. (FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN)
“Following (President) Duterte ‘s answer to UN’s (United Nations) plea for yet another stronger stand against climate change—which he branded as more hot air—I am rejecting all official participation in climate change conferences requiring air travel. We’ll just vote Yes to radical proposals. No more talk,” Locsin said in a tweet.
Locsin’s statement came in an apparent response to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ warning that countries are not living up to their commitments under the 2016 Paris Agreement to keep the global temperature rise to below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, he said.
"Climate change is running faster than what we are ... The last four years have been the hottest registered," Guterres told the media during his recent visit in New Zealand.
In July 2017, the Philippine Senate voted unanimously to ratify the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and joined 133 other parties representing more than 80 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
The Philippines, known to be one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to extreme weather conditions, ratified the international pact four months earlier than previously expected.
It was noted that at least 60 percent of the total land area of the Philippines is exposed to multiple hazards, leaving 74 percent of the population vulnerable.
Aimed to limit global warming, the Paris Agreement came into force globally on November 4, 2016. The Philippines has committed to cut its carbon emissions by 70 percent by 2030.
Manila’s road to the Paris Climate Conference (COP21) started when the Call to Action on Climate Change was launched during the state visit of French President François Hollande in the Philippines in February 2015.