The Philippines must honor the historic international agreement on climate change to show a good example to other nations, the country’s National Scientist said.
“If we don’t abide by the Paris Agreement, we will contribute to the worsening increase of temperature that will endanger the whole world,” warned marine expert Dr. Angel C. Alcala.
Dr. Alcala, who is also chair of the SU Angelo King Center for Research & Environmental Management, was reached for comment after President Duterte’s pronouncement that he would not honor the Philippines’ commitment to the Paris Agreement that was signed by nearly 200 countries during the Conference of Parties (CoP 21) in December last year in France.
The agreement binds signatory nations to cut down carbon emissions to contain global warming below two degrees Celsius, beyond which, temperature rising would be irreversible.
Duterte said his administration would not honor the agreement as it would restrict the economic development of the Philippines.
He blamed developing countries for carbon emissions that are raising world temperatures.
Alcala recalled that right after the May 9 elections, Duterte said he would honor all international agreements that the past administration had entered into, including the Paris Agreement on climate change. “Now it looks like…he has changed his mind,” Alcala said.
“We should respect international agreements. Otherwise, we would be no different from other nations, big and small, [that cause] the rise in temperatures to dangerous levels of two degrees or [higher],” noted Alcala.
“Whether or not we are a non-polluter — because we don’t produce as much carbon dioxide as the industrialized nations — we should be in unity with other countries by showing a good example on a globally-important environment issue,” Alcala said.
“Industrialization can continue as planned if there are provisions for sequestering the carbon dioxide produced through activities like planting more areas with forest trees, and protecting our existing tropical rainforests,” he added.
Duterte lamented that other countries have “reached the apex” of industrialization, emitting contaminants along the way, and now were “trying to stymie our growth that says you can only go up to here — that’s stupid.” (Irma Faith Pal/SU REnews)
