Duterte has to be convinced it is a pro-poor accord, says veteran negotiator
MANILA – The Paris Climate Change Agreement comes into force on Friday after 94 countries representing at least 55% of global greenhouse gas emissions ratified the accord.
Patricia Espinosa, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Executive Secretary and Salaheddine Mezouar, President of COP 22, called the Agreement “a turning point in history” in our unified efforts to combat the existential threat of climate change.
They also added that while it is a moment to celebrate, it is also an opportunity for a “reality check,” a serious assessment and continued commitment over the task ahead, especially since there are still about a hundred more countries that have not yet ratified the agreement, including the Philippines.
President Rodrigo Duterte has maintained his stance against ratifying the Paris Agreement, arguing that climate mitigation, including reducing the country’s carbon emissions, would hamper economic activity and growth.
Duterte was referring to the previous administration’s pledge, its Nationally Determined Contributions, submitted to the UNFCCC to cut the country’s carbon emissions by 70% by 2030.
Antonio La Viña, former dean of the Ateneo School of Government and veteran climate negotiator, however, insisted all is not lost for the Philippines having not ratified the Paris Agreement in time for COP 22 in Marrakesh.
For La Viña, the real deadline is June of next year when a mid-year meeting of the parties will be held in Bonn, Germany.
“It is doable. But the President has to make the decision,” La Viña said, adding that it is better to ratify when we are sure we want to do it, with the numbers that we want.
‘PRO-POOR AGREEMENT’
La Viña is also optimistic that Duterte can be convinced of the importance of ratifying the Paris Agreement if he will be made to realize that this is, in fact, a pro-poor agreement.
Many Filipinos living in poverty belong to the agriculture sector, which is most vulnerable to extreme weather events.
Joel Rudinas, a corn farmer from Cagayan de Oro, laments the unpredictable weather patterns that have become the new normal today.
It used to be, Rudinas observed, that during the rainy season, farmers could count on 28 days of continuous rainfall. But in recent years, this would be reduced to only 12 days, with heavy pouring during these very short periods of precipitation that subsequently destroy their crops.
With their earnings gone, farmers often resort to short-term loans with very high interest rates.
“Masakit na talaga ito sa amin. Laging naghahanap ng mauutangan for the next planting season,” Rudinas said.
(This is already very painful for us, to always borrow money for the next planting season.)
The Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture (AMIA) Office of the Department of Agriculture is also pushing for the ratification of the Paris Agreement.
“But we have to survive first before we can make any meaningful mitigation action so we are focusing on adaptation measures,” Alice Ilaga, director of AMIA said.
The AMIA Office recently submitted a proposal to the Climate Change Commission to avail of benefits from the Green Climate Fund. Their proposal includes strengthening of Climate Information Services in rural areas and expanding crop insurance for farmers and fisherfolk adversely affected by climate change.
“Layunin namin na matutunan ng mga magsasaka at mangingisda ang tamang paghahanda, pamamaraang pangkabuhayan, at mga institusyong makakatulong upang maging climate-resilient ang kanilang pangkabuhayan at komunidad,” Ilaga said.
(We want farmers and fisherfolk to learn preparedness, livelihood methods, and the right institutions that can help them and their communities to become climate-resilient.)
Most scientists agree that limiting global warming to under 2 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels will be critical in reducing the risk of sea-level rise, fiercer typhoons and longer droughts.
Ratifying the Paris Agreement will make the Philippines a full-fledged member of the parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA) and likewise gain from technical and financial support of developed countries.