The Philippines has emphasized the need to transform the decisions of COP27 into tangible outcomes, saying there was a need for immediate and concrete actions to address the worsening climate crisis.

The Philippine delegation at the 58th Session of the Subsidiary Bodies (SB58) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in Bonn, Germany, on June 8. (Photo from the Climate Change Commission)

Climate Change Commission (CCC) Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert Borje said this as he delivered the Philippine Statement at the opening of the 58th Session of the Subsidiary Bodies (SB58) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in Bonn, Germany, on June 8.

In his speech, Borje reminded the other countries' representatives of "undelivered commitments."

"As we build on the progress Parties made in Sharm El-Sheikh, we believe in the real possibility that we will be able to transform COP27 decisions into actions with outputs and outcomes that are concrete, relevant, appropriate, responsive to the vulnerable, developing nations' needs and priorities, and based on best available science and evidence," he said.

"This is no longer the time to explore. Now is the time to ensure that we implement and deploy the most appropriate measures so that we no longer need to grieve but survive and thrive with higher levels of adaptive capacities and climate resilience," he added.

Citing statistics on the loss and damage incurred by the Philippines and nearby Southeast Asian countries over the past decade, Borje lamented that the Philippines suffered loss and damage amounting to $12 billion, equivalent to two times its national budget for crucial health services.

Within the region, the Philippines, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand emerged as four of the 10 most vulnerable countries to climate change and disasters. This makes nearly 50 percent of the ASEAN population exposed to climate change impacts.

Moreover, the region endured economic and human losses of $97.3 billion, nearly matching the global commitment of $100 billion by Annex I or industrialized countries from 2009 to 2020.

The Climate Vulnerable Forum and V20 Group of Finance Ministers reported a staggering loss and damage figure of $525 billion over the past two decades for the 58 vulnerable country members.

"These numbers manifest in no uncertain terms, that in the face of worsening climate change, it is our lives, our livelihood, and our collective future at stake," Borje said.

Emphasizing the importance of inclusive participation, Borje urged the involvement of civil society, indigenous peoples, local communities, women and girls, youth, differently abled, and other stakeholders in developing holistic and multidimensional climate solutions.

"We have talked ourselves out these past years, and at times, we were driven to tears. It is time to act on our commitments and deliver what we said we would do – with the highest speed and on the largest scale possible," Borje said.

The Marcos Administration has prioritized climate change as a critical national concern and has even allocated $8.2 billion, or nine percent of its 2023 national budget, for climate change adaptation and mitigation programs.