Hoping to make climate policy as one of his environmental achievements during his term, President Benigno Aquino III arrived this morning in Paris to join more than 140 world leaders to kick off the two weeks climate change negotiations which aims to hammer out a global response to climate change.
President of France Francois Hollande has invited all heads of state to participate in the leaders’ event on November 30, 2015. Hollande is the host of the 21st COP of the UN Framework Convention On Climate Change (UNFCCC). The leaders’ event is an opportunity for the countries to reaffirm their support for a global climate change agreement. Head of states are expected to deliver their national statements after the leaders’ event.
The country submissions of the Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) last October 1, 2015 by 146 countries covers almost 87% of global emissions. It is considered unprecedented, raising optimism that an agreement will be reached in Paris. The Philippines submitted its INDC last October 1, 2015 with a conditional emission reduction of 70% relative to its business-as-usual (BAU) scenario of years 2000-2030. The Philippine submission was considered ambitious for a developing country whose emission is barely 1% of global emissions. An agreement in Paris is considered historic after the failure in Copenhagen in 2009.
While outside financial support remains conditional, the mitigation action of 70% relative to its BAU of years 2000-2030 is the first public policy that outlines the intention of the country to a low-emission development pathway. As a vulnerable country and a low-emitter, policies on climate change are mostly on adaptation. President Aquino signed Executive Order No. 174 last November 14, 2014, which institutionalized greenhouse gas inventory management as well as a reporting system, designed to support the Philippine INDC.
Climate Vulnerable Forum
At the start of the year, the Philippines was chosen to chair the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) of 20 developing countries representing almost 200 million people threatened by climate change. The CVF was founded in 2009 by the President of Maldives and was made famous by the first cabinet meeting under water to raise awareness of the plight of its members.
Spearheaded by Secretary Cesar Purisima, the V20 of Finance Ministers was created during the Global Meeting of Finance Ministers in Lima, Peru, last October 2015.
The V20 was created primarily to “foster significant increase of public and private finance for climate action from wide-ranging sources, including international, regional and domestic mobilization.”
“In the absence of an effective global response, annual economic losses due to climate change are projected to exceed $400 billion by 2030 for the V20, with impacts far surpassing our local or regional capabilities,” said Secretary Purisima. “Here in Lima, we unite for what we believe is the fundamental human rights issue threatening our very own existence today. Global climate action gives us hope that we can still see a future free from the most devastating effects of climate change.”
President Aquino to chair the CVF high level event
A side event of the CVF is scheduled today, November 30, in Paris to coincide the leaders’ event.
The CVF High Level Event is a flagship initiative of the Philippine Presidency of the CVF (2015-2016). It is an important meeting of the members of the CVF in order to confirm decisions made and to put them into process at COP21.
As an informal platform and advocacy group outside the convention for countries highly vulnerable to climate change, the CVF highlights the shared interests of its members, that is:
- Espousing a strong ambition on climate change actions;
- A global warming limit of 1.5o° Celsius;
- and clarity, predictability, and transparency in the means of implementation (finance, technology transfer and development, capacity building) in the Paris Climate Change Agreement.
The CVF desires and supports the successful conclusion of the COP 21.
source: Climate Change Commission
photo: French embassy Manila
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