Phl seeks support for climate change summit

The Philippines is seeking support from developing countries in the global fight against climate change.

Climate Change Commission secretary Emmanuel de Guzman said the ongoing conference of parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Katowice, Poland is an opportunity for countries to demonstrate their commitment to set stronger climate action.

He earlier stressed the leadership role that the Philippines would take during the discussions for the implementation guidelines of the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement that underscored the priorities in addressing issues and challenges pertaining to climate change.

“We need to incorporate climate change in our long-term policy. In the climate talks, ours is a leadership voice on behalf of the climate vulnerable. The Philippines championed climate justice,” said De Guzman, head of the Philippine delegation to the conference.

“We continue to enjoin developed countries to improve their mitigation targets, mobilize climate finance and accelerate its flow, as well as the development and transfer of technology,” he added.

De Guzman said the Philippines will continue to champion the various concerns of developing countries, including financial support for technology development, transfer and diffusion and capacitybuilding; clear programs for delivery among developed countries; and clarity and acceptability of the timeframe of the programs to enable developing countries to build their national capacities.

He said the Philippines will also push for the establishment of a global accounting system that deals with both the causes and impacts of climate change, as well as monitor environmental integrity.

“This system will allow countries to monitor collective progress against the global temperature goal of the Paris Agreement,” said De Guzman.

He said the Philippines will also deliver on its commitment to submit its first Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) to minimize the impact of climate change.

“The NDC of the Philippines conveys our country’s readiness to raise our ambition and pursue the low carbon transition of our sectors towards a climate-resilient and green economy,” he said.

“However, we would like to emphasize that defining the ambition and contributions of developing country-parties entails clarity on the delivery of the means of implementation. It is therefore critical that (conference) delivers on the guidance on how to ensure scale, predictability and sustainability in the delivery of climate finance,” he added.