Marcos thanks former UN chief for promoting climate change efforts
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (Malacañang Photo)
President Marcos has recognized former United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon for his continued advocacy and leadership in promoting climate resilience and sustainability, particularly in vulnerable nations such as the Philippines.
“I am glad that you continue this very important work…. What you are doing — sustainability — is key to the survival of my country, considering we are so vulnerable to the effects of climate change,” the President said.
Marcos made the statement during Ban's courtesy call at Malacañan Palace on Tuesday, Nov. 11.
Ban likewise expressed his gratitude to Marcos for the warm reception and conveyed his hope that the Philippines will recover swiftly from the recent devastation caused by the back-to-back typhoons.
Ban’s visit to Manila comes in the wake of Super Typhoon Uwan and Typhoon Tino, which brought widespread devastation across parts of the Visayas and other regions.
On Monday, the former UN chief participated in a dialogue at the Trans-Pacific Sustainability Dialogue (TPSD) in Makati City, where he urged the international community to extend support to the Philippines and other climate-vulnerable nations in recovering from increasingly destructive natural disasters.
The TPSD is a joint initiative of the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC) at Stanford University and the Ban Ki-moon Foundation for a Better Future that brings together scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to accelerate progress on achieving the United Nations-adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Marcos and Ban met in February 2024, when the President welcomed the continued support of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), where Ban serves as President and Chairman of the Council.
Ban reaffirmed the GGGI’s commitment to assist the Marcos administration in implementing sustainable and climate-resilient development programs.
According to the United Nations (UN), Ban has fought tirelessly to ensure that climate change remains at the top of the leaders’ agendas and has launched a number of initiatives to fight climate change on the ground.