Tacloban mayor hopes Biden will resume US commitment on climate change

A few people on Sunday visit the mass grave in Tacloban City to mark the seventh anniversary of supertyphoon Yolanda in 2013. JOEY GABIETA/INQUIRER VISAYAS

TACLOBAN CITY – Mayor Alfred Romualdez of this city hopes United States President-elect Joe Biden will resume his country’s commitment to addressing climate change.

“I hope the United States will go back and really push for the (Paris) climate change agreement because it was not given emphasis and importance under the administration of Pres. Trump,” Romualdez said in an interview on Sunday, the seventh anniversary of the onslaught of super typhoon Yolanda which claimed more than 6,000 lives, affecting 4.1 million residents, and damaged more than one million homes, mostly in Eastern Visayas.

According to the city mayor, climate change mostly affects the world’s poor countries like the Philippines.

“Addressing climate change should be given a top priority,” Romualdez said.

On Sunday, former vice president and Democratic candidate Joe Biden was declared the winner in the presidential race against reelectionist President Donald Trump.

The United States earlier withdrew from the Paris climate change agreement on the order of Trump.

Biden has vowed to return to the Paris climate change agreement once he gets elected president.

/MUF