PH to pursue climate justice in COP25 talks

“We come to this year’s UN climate talks to unite our voices with our fellow developing countries in the urgent call for climate justice,” Legarda said. (File Photo: Senator Loren Legarda/Facebook)

MANILA – House Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda will push for the country’s achievement of climate justice in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement during the United Nations climate change conference, 25th Conference of the Parties (COP25).

According to a statement on Wednesday, Legarda, who will head the Philippine Delegation to the COP25 from December 6 to 12 in Madrid, Spain, said she will urge developed nations to provide the country sufficient climate finance, technologies, and means for capacity building to “aid us as we face the intensifying impacts of climate change.”

“We come to this year’s UN climate talks to unite our voices with our fellow developing countries in the urgent call for climate justice,” Legarda said.

To date, 184 Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have ratified the Paris Agreement, including the Philippines, which acceded in 2017.

Legarda noted that the Paris Agreement has set the year 2020 for countries to submit their own Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which are country commitments to limit global warming below two degrees and further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

“Achieving its 1.5 goal entails greater ambition, stronger resolve, and faster action from all countries,” Legarda said.

“Coming to this year’s COP, we are hopeful that the developed nations or those that have the historical accountability for climate change will do their fair share to combat this climate crisis,” Legarda added.

Legarda will deliver the country’s National Statement at the high-level segment, where heads of state, heads of delegation, and world leaders will also deliver their national statements.

She will also convey the Philippines’ expectations, priorities, and challenges for next year’s COP, at the Panel Discussion on Asean Priorities for COP26, organized by the government of the United Kingdom.