(Courtesy of UN)
MANILA – The Philippine government vowed to support host Egypt in its efforts to revitalize international consensus on the climate crisis during the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change which opens at Sharm el-Sheikh City on Sunday.
Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga leads the Philippine delegation at the conference slated November 6 to 18.
Loyzaga said the Philippines would continue calling on developed countries to step up to obligations and "deliver without delay on their commitments on climate finance, technology transfer and capacity building."
The Philippines expects the conference to set the stage for "transparent, accessible, predictable and efficient climate finance.”
"The Philippine delegation will assert the country’s call for bolder climate action and demand the delivery of what is due for the developing countries, which hardly produce any greenhouse gas emissions, yet they suffer the most and continue to bear the brunt of the adverse impacts of climate change," she said.
She stressed that the increasing intensity and frequency of climate and weather-related hazards, as shown with the devastation brought about by tropical cyclone Paeng the previous week, have been severely impacting the lives Filipinos and putting a strain on efforts toward economic growth.
"Against this backdrop and guided by the current administration’s policies and priorities on climate change, the Philippine delegation stands ready to work with other nations and stakeholders and support Egypt’s efforts in galvanizing and revitalizing international consensus and political will in addressing the most urgent scourge that threatens the very existence of humanity as we know it," she said.
Adaptation, climate finance
Loyzaga said the country intends to contribute most to the workstreams, dealing with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, adaptation, climate finance, and loss and damage.
"The Philippines will not only safeguard its positions but also continue what it started," she said.
Article 6 of the pact allows nations to voluntarily cooperate with each other to achieve emission reduction targets.
Loss and damage, on the other hand, refers to climate change's negative impact that cannot be avoided by mitigation and adaptation, such as extreme weather events, sea level rise, and glacial retreat, among others.
She said the Philippines agrees with the operationalization and funding of the Santiago Network on Loss and Damage, which would provide developing countries with technical assistance.
"The Philippine delegation, in the following days, will continue to assert and safeguard the country’s interest in climate change negotiation, ensuring that we receive the appropriate support and assistance as a country vulnerable to climate change," Loyzaga said.
Egypt, as COP27 president, aims at making the conference an “implementation COP” by urging action across prior agreements through all areas of climate change.
Representatives and negotiators from the House of Representatives, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Climate Change Commission, Department of Finance, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Agriculture and Department of Energy, as well as advisers from scientific and civil society organizations, comprise the Philippine delegation to Egypt.
“COP27 is the moment where global leaders can regain momentum on climate change, make the necessary pivot from negotiations to implementation, and get moving on the massive transformation that must take place throughout all sectors of society to address the climate emergency,” Simon Stiell, executive secretary of UN Climate Change, said in a statement. (PNA)
