PRRD wants sanction vs. ‘violators’ of climate change deal

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivers his speech during the 80th anniversary of the Department of National Defense at Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City on November 20, 2019. ALFRED FRIAS/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Friday urged the United Nations (UN) to impose sanctions against countries that ratified the climate change pact but have failed to live up to their commitments under the framework.

“UN should better understand that it has to have a sanction for violators,” Duterte told his audience in Maasim, Sarangani province where he led the inauguration and launch of two major power projects. “Without a sanction, I do not think that it will succeed. It will only fail and worsen the situation for the coming generation.”

The UN has been organizing an annual conference for multilateral discussion on climate change.

Duterte’s call to the UN came as he noticed that there seemed to be little progress in global efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change.

He said it would be a “waste of money” to attend a UN climate change conference because it was just “all talk.”

“I am for (combatting) climate change. I really do. I can understand. I have a little learning of everything. Not much but I can understand. Now the problem is the Climate Change Commission is always calling for a meeting,” the President said.

“And always, it’s always how much carbon footprints you’ll leave on planet Earth. And it’s all talking, it’s all conferences so that this time, I said it would be a waste of money. And I would not really also agree to something of a ratio and proportion vis-à-vis with your economy.”

The UN climate change forum that is conducted every year serves as the formal meeting of countries that are mandated to live up to the goals of the Paris climate agreement, a global pact meant to keep temperatures from rising two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

In March 2017, the Philippines ratified the Paris climate pact.

However, Duterte lamented that some industrialized countries that also ratified the climate change deal have failed to commit to adopt the agreement.

“But the one thing that is not present and therefore becomes a very inutile commission is it does not have sanctions. You can commit so many things there, excess of carbon monoxide and all, and yet there is no sanction,” he said. “You and I know that if you cannot arrest climate change now, sigurado ‘yan (it’s sure): Our children will suffer more severe climate changes, typhoons and all.”