Duterte urged to reconsider stand on Paris climate pact

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC

A climate justice group on Tuesday called on President Rodrigo Duterte to reconsider his stance on the historic Paris agreement on climate change, which he said the administration would not honor despite the Philippines being a signatory.

READ: Duterte says ‘No’ to historic climate pact

Ian Rivera, coordinator of the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice, agreed to Duterte’s remark that rich countries must take responsibility for the climate crisis they have caused.

But Rivera said deviating from the agreement would mean taking a few steps backwards in the negotiations, urging Duterte to reconsider some provisions in the agreement.

“The president is actually invoking historical responsibility enshrined in the United Nations Climate Change Convention. The climate crisis has worsened to unprecedented level due to dilly dallying of rich countries. In fact, the Paris Agreement was long overdue,” Rivera said in a statement.

“However, it is difficult now to do away with this global consensus. It will mean going back to several decades of climate negotiations with very little time left before climate catastrophe,” he added.

Duterte on Monday said the administration would not honor the Paris climate pact, calling it “stupid” and “absurd.” The international treaty was signed by countries that participated in the 21st Conference of Parties in France, including the Philippines.

During the send-off ceremonies for Filipino athletes in Malacañang, the President on Monday recalled how a foreign ambassador reminded him of the Philippines’ commitment to limit its carbon emissions.

READ: Rody won’t honor Paris climate pact

“I said, ‘No. I cannot tell … You don’t do it that way, Mr. Ambassador. [Your country] has reached the apex [of industrialization] and along the way put a lot of contaminants and emissions, and went ahead in destroying the climate,’” Duterte recalled saying.

“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… That’s stupid. I will not honor that,” he added. RAM

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