* Any views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
After less than one month in office, the President of the Republic of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, drew international media attention once again for saying he will not honor the global climate agreement forged by 195 countries, including the Philippines, in Paris last year.
The President’s remarks, which he delivered at a send-off event for Filipino athletes participating in the 2016 Olympics, were related to a conversation he had had with a diplomat. He recalled that “an ambassador” asked him if he intended to stick to the country’s commitment to reduce its carbon emissions, as stated in the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) submitted to the UN ahead of the Paris Summit. The President replied that he “will not honor” the “absurd” agreement because it would “stymie” the country’s efforts to industrialize while letting countries that have industrialized on the back of ‘dirty energy’ like coal off the hook.
Since then, the remarks have been widely reported by media organizations as tantamount to the President saying ‘no’ to the climate pact. The Philippines Senate President Frank Drilon even went so far as to say Congress will not ratify the Paris Agreement if the President, as a matter of foreign policy, says the country will not honor the treaty.
Climate organizations, advocates and politicians around the world have subsequently expressed their concern and urged the President to uphold the pact. However, it remains to be confirmed whether or not the President’s statement reflect a real shift in the Philippines’ expressed commitment to the Paris Agreement or if this is simply another case of misunderstanding.
For Oxfam in the Philippines, President Duterte’s remarks can be appreciated as one saying we should continue to push countries that are historically responsible for causing climate change to act fast enough to forestall a climate change catastrophe. Notably, this principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (Article 3.1 of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) continues to be a sticking point in global climate negotiations.
“The Philippines has been recognized as a strong voice in calling for climate justice in global climate negotiations, not least because it is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world. During negotiations in Paris, the Philippines led the influential Climate Vulnerable Forum, which is an international partnership of more than 40 countries highly vulnerable to a warming planet, in pushing rich, high-emitting countries to increase their ambition to limit global warming to ‘well below 2 degrees C above pre-industrial levels’,” says Dante Dalabajan, Economic Justice Programme Manager of Oxfam in the Philippines .
“It is important for the country, led by the President, to continue being the voice of the poorest, lowest-emitting and most vulnerable people on the world stage. Yes, the Paris Agreement is far from perfect, but it is what we have to work with to ensure countries like the Philippines are financially and technically supported as they shift towards a low-carbon development pathway. It is in this spirit that our country should uphold our commitment to the Paris Agreement,” Dalabajan added.
Oxfam recognizes that climate change is inextricably linked to economic inequality. In a report released during the Paris summit, Oxfam demonstrated that climate change is a crisis that is driven by the greenhouse gas emissions of the ‘haves’ that hits the ‘have-nots’ the hardest.
“We, therefore, urge President Duterte and his administration to uphold its promise to deliver ‘real change’ for the poorest people, who are both the least responsible for and the most vulnerable to climate change, in the Philippines and beyond,” said Dalabajan.
Nationally, this would mean supporting farmers as they shift to climate-resilient crops and practices, and utilizing the People’s Survival Fund (a national climate change adaptation fund) to help vulnerable local government units and communities to effectively adapt to a warming planet. It also means pushing for a development path that is more and more fuelled by clean energy sources.
Internationally, the Philippine government must continue to engage multilateral processes to address the gaps in the Paris Agreement, to ensure binding commitments on the provision of support for vulnerable countries, mobilizing adequate finance to meet a clear climate change adaptation goal, and recognizing the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities.
“Oxfam, for its part, will continue to support local and national development partners who are working to address the vulnerability of communities by building their adaptive capacities and enhancing resiliency. We are also looking forward to working with the new administration as it crafts the Philippine Development Plan to help ensure that climate change adaptation is treated as a cross-cutting priority and that it puts the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable first,” Dalabajan said.
