Duterte ‘will not honour’ Paris climate agreement

MANILA: As the United Nations announced plans to fast-track ratification of the Paris Agreement on climate change, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is backtracking on support for the deal, saying that he “will not honour” the proposed restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions.

Duterte said this week he would not recognise the country’s commitment to the Paris pact supported by his predecessor, ex-president Benigno Aquino, as it would limit the country’s industrial growth.

The reversal drew concerns from climate experts and activists in a country that is considered one of the world’s most vulnerable to climate change impacts.

Climate scientist Rosa Perez appealed to the president to reconsider his position, and discuss the pact and negotiation process with Philippine government officials and climate experts.

“His statement was an indication that he is not well-informed of the importance of the climate change negotiations and the country’s position in the whole process. I hope everything will turn out well,” said Perez, who is a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, an independent body of climate scientists.

UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, agreed with Perez, saying that the Paris Agreement could be used to protect not only the communities but also the rights of indigenous peoples. Reuters