A transition to a low carbon economy through the use of clean energy sources would mean that the Philippines does not have to turn its back on the Paris Agreement on Climate Change for economic development, Senator Loren Legarda said on Monday.
“There is no provision in the Paris agreement that would prevent our industrialization,” Legarda said in a statement.
Legarda, who is a member of the Philippine delegation to Paris, vowed to push treaty’s ratification by the government. The Paris agreement was signed by the previous administration, where the Philippines committed to reduce its carbon emissions by 70% by 2030.
Despite reducing emissions, Legarda said that the country could still pursue developmental efforts through a “long-term transition to a low-carbon economy” which would mean shifting away from coal to clean energy sources in the likes of wind and solar energy.
“The agreement also obliges developed nations to assist us and other developing countries through financial and technical support in preparing for natural hazards, reducing disaster risk, addressing climate change impact and moving toward a low-carbon economy,” Legarda said.
She added that industrialized nations “should have greater responsibility to reduce their greenhouse gas emission,” as long as they are the world’s major carbon producers.
195 United Nations Members in December of 2015 pledged to cut down their carbon emissions to contain global warming by under 2 degrees Celsius. The Philippines is a part of the said agreement represented by former Energy Secretary Ramon Paje.
In the sendoff for the Filipino athletes for the Olympics 2016, President Rodigro Duterte said that he would not honor the Paris Agreement as it would hinder the country’s economic development.
“We have not reached the age of industrialization. We’re now going into it. But you are trying to stymie [our growth] with an agreement that says you can only go up to here,” President Duterte said. “That’s stupid. I will not honor that.”
